Four Letters
by gypsywriter135
Summary: It's amazing how words so small can make the biggest impact on our lives.
1. City

Hello! I told you I would be back with a multi-chapter! And here it is! It's a little bit different than normal stories of mine, but I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. The only thing is that this chapter has a a lot of background info... actually, the first two chapters do, but they also have a lot of other stuff in them too. Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles, sadly :(

TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT

City.

A large or important town.

New York City. A city full of wonders and disappointments all at the same time. For as long as we can remember, cities have been a part of our human culture. New York City has been one of the most well known cities to mankind. It harbors the Statue of Liberty, a symbol that incoming passengers from other parts of the world stand at the front of the boat to see. It is the location of where many people hope to live, and where many people hope to escape.

The City that Never Sleeps- that's what we call it. The Big Apple. So many names for one city in fifty different states. But why is it such a tycoon of our country? Is it because that is where the celebrities are? Is it because so many successful people have come out of that great metropolis?

Or maybe it's because us humans need to feel the closeness of others. Relationship is a main part of our lives, and being surrounded by others, even strangers, gives us a comforting feeling. The technology in the city allows us to communicate to loved ones around the country without leaving the safe-haven of our network of people.

So, once again, what makes New York City so stunning? Is it the bright lights and loud sounds? Is it the sensation of walking everywhere?

Or, maybe, it's the mysteriousness behind all that we think we know.

What really goes on in the city? What happens regularly under our noses, yet we humans are so blind to it? What goes on in the shadows of the buildings? What is the brief, soft tapping on your apartment roof every night? What are the screams that fall on deaf ears?

Well, my friends. You are about to find out.

For below the very ground that you and I walk on is a secret. A secret so tremendous, that only a few people actually dare to whisper it. Below the cement, the dirt, the rocks, and sewers, lurks an enigma.

Only a few people are aware of these wonderful beings. Yes, what I am talking to you about is actually living. They have beating hearts, live souls, working internal organs. They have flesh. They have limbs.

They have DNA.

Before we proceed, some form of explanation should be given to you.

You see, the creatures that you are about to see are mutated.

No, not the type of mutations that involve an injection and horribly transfigured faces. When I say the word "mutated", I say it lightly. For you see, the subjects of our story today are completely normal in the fact that they look exactly as they are supposed to look, with the exceptions of a few minor transformations.

Did you see that? Over there, by the drainpipe in the alley on 32nd Street? No? Look closely. If you blink, you may miss it.

There! See it now? What does it look like? A giant turtle?

Well, my friends, that is exactly what it is.

That was just one of five extraordinary beings that I mentioned earlier.

Five, you say? Yes. Quite an odd little family. Four giant turtles and an oversized rat; all trained in the art of ninjitsu.

Before our story actually begins, let me take the time to tell you about this close-knit family.

The rat's name is Splinter. To his pupils, he is either Master Splinter or Sensei. To his sons, he is Father. To his family, he is both.

He found and raised the four turtles as his own, teaching them his ways and arts. He has dedicated his life to them, and will gladly support them in anything they do, so long as it is for the right reasons. A master of ninjitsu, he has passed on his art to his sons, and is very wise when they come to him with problems, most of which he knows well before they do.

The turtles are his students, his sons. There are four, teenagers, and, though there seems to be no obvious age difference, they are nowhere near similar, except for a few key points.

But that's for later. Let's start with the oldest brother and work our way to the youngest.

Leonardo. His brother's have many names for him; the most common is Leo. He is also called "Splinter Junior" and "Fearless Leader", both of which he despises. He the eldest of his brothers and the leader of their team. Skilled in ninjitsu, but not to the degree of his father, he bears two katana swords as his weapons. His stealth has won him many-a-battle. His courage has allowed him to triumph almost every fight. And his heart has given him the love of his family and city, for which he fights.

He is the brother of blue.

Raphael, or Raph, as he is most commonly called, is second. Strong-minded and strong-bodied, he uses his brute force to his advantage, crushing his opponents into oblivion. Second in charge of the team, he has a short fuse and a hot temper. Always putting up a fight with anything that does not appeal to his liking, his weapons are the twin Sais. But beneath all of his tough hide is a loving, caring, brother, son, and friend.

He is the brother of red.

Donatello. Mostly referred to as "Donnie", this turtle is perhaps the smartest living thing to ever walk this planet. Soaking up information and facts, as well as fiction, like a dry sponge in water, he uses that material to help improve this family's life. He thinks before he acts, but he does it quickly, it is for this that his weapon is a bo. Openly critizing anything wrong, he never critizes his family; he loves them too much.

He is the brother of purple.

And, last but not least, Michelangelo. Mikey, for short. This little brother is not so little in battle, as he continuously proves himself a worthy opponent. The kid brother at his best, his favorite past time is pranking his brothers. However, among the comic books and video games, is a fierce warrior with speed and agility on his side at all times. Using his skill to tire his enemy, the nunchaku are his weapons. Emotional on all levels, his family would be lost without him.

He is the brother of orange.

Perhaps you may have noticed a pattern to the turtles. Each one is named after the great Renaissance Masters and each one wears a mask of his own color.

Each one is his own.

They fight for good, never stearing from the path of righteousness. Each has his own fighting technique. Each is unique in everything they do.

How? You must be very confused at this point. How is it possible for this to happen? How can there be four mutant turtles and a rat living beneath New York City? How did it happen?

The best advice I can give you, my friends, is to not question it.

Embrace it, accept it, and move with it.

And so, my friends, our story begins.

TMNTTMNTMNTTMNT

So, what'd ya' think?! Let me know, and please, easy on the flames... :)


	2. Dusk

So, how was your Halloween?! Mine was amazing! I had seriously one of the best weekends of my life! Two parties and what-not, and then saw a play! Amazing!

But I digress...

Anyways, hope your weekend was as good as mine! Here's to the end of a great weekend!

(I should warn you, this chapter has a LOT of background information. I wrote it a long time ago, and I felt it was needed, even though it's not. But I like, 'cause it makes the story seem professional... :) So, if you don't like it, then just skip over it. I won't mind) :)

Disclaimer: I own them not... :(

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Dusk.

The state or period of partial darkness between day and night; shade; gloom.

Dusk is a funny time of day. The sun has not yet set, but the moon has already begun to take control of the sky. Two of the most interesting things in the world. We know so little about the sun and then moon. But they continue to perplex us day and night, the times they rule sky. It's so very interesting.

But we will never know all their secrets...

But I digress...

Dusk is full of shadows, long black strips that play with your mind and your vision. It's about the time of day that everything begins to ind down; mothers get the children ready for bed, fathers get home from work, teenagers and young adults do their leftover schoolwork...

But it is also the very beginning of night. For some, the fun starts now. Young people go out for a good time, crooks come out to play, and children sneak out to do only they know what.

But for our friends, this is the time of day in which they feel most at home. They have shadows to conceal them, yet the city is still as busy and bustling as it was in the middle of the day. It gives them shelter, but it also gives them light.

It gives them hope.

TMNT

This is the perfect time for our young friends to come out of hiding and prowl the rooftops, searching for someone in need of their help. They run the rooftops, leaping and flipping from one to next, never looking back, always aware.

It is on this particular night that the turtle's lives will be changed. Things will be lost, others will be gained, and new information will be learned.

But all in good time, my friends. Let's focus on what happens one moment at a time.

As I was saying, it is midnight in the great city. Where everywhere else is dark, New York's lights shine for miles and miles, never extinguished. It is for this that the turtles seek refuge in the shadows of the rooftops. Never straying to far into the full moon's bright, silver light, they play a game.

Follow the Leader. Ninja Style.

Oh, the joys of being young! Your body is capable of doing things everyone dreams of, and it doesn't think twice about doing them. For following the leader, this is no exception. The other three brothers must copy the leader's moves, and at the same time, try to tag him as they fly over the rooftops.

Tonight, Leonardo is in the lead.

Of course, every night Leo leads. Sure, it starts out with one of the other brothers leading, but Leo soon overtakes them and takes the lead.

No one has ever beaten Leo.

Tonight was no different. He led the brothers over the roofs, doing very complicated and impressive moves that each one had difficulty repeating. Finally, on what seemed like the five-hundreth rooftop, Leo slowed to a stop, barely breathing heavily.

His brothers joined him shortly, each breathing heavily and covered with sweat. Mikey collapsed on the floor, spread eagle, his mask tails spiraling from the back of his head. Donnie sat down beside him, while Raph slumped against the railing. Leo stood on his feet, looking at his brothers.

"You guys are more out of shape than I thought," he said, smirking slightly.

"Well, while some people had the luxury of swinging vines in Central America for two years, others in New York City were busy with other things," Raph replied testily.

In the dark, no one saw the playful smirk drop like a brick off Leo's face. He took a deep breath and went to the edge of the building.

"Take fifteen minutes to rest," he said, his eyes scanning the surrounding city.

"Dude, fifteen minutes 'ain't gonna cut it," Mikey was able to gasp out.

"I feel your pain," Donnie agreed, clutching at a stitch in his side.

"Leo just likes to show off," Raph said, looking at his younger brothers, then turning his eyes on his older one.

Leo let his eyes glance quickly at Raph, then flicker quickly back to the city. He had one foot on the railing, his left arm draped, relaxed, on it. His right arm hung at his side, loose, yet ready to react at any moment.

Raph wasn't about to let that look go unnoticed. He knew exactly where they had stopped, but he wasn't sure whether or not Leo did. His brother could be so unreadable at times, not even Master Splinter knew what he was thinking.

And if Master Splinter didn't know what one of his sons were thinking, then… well, no one but the thinker knew.

Raph took a deep breath to calm his rapidly beating heart and approached his brother. Leo didn't move and the only thing that told Raph that his brother acknowledged his presence was the flicker of the eyes that seemed to happen more often than not.

"So, uhh," Raph began, unsure exactly _how_ to begin. "You know where we're going?"

The flicker of the eyes again.

"Yes," the reply came.

"Where?"

Flicker. "You'll see when we get there."

Raph was getting annoyed. "Leo, are we already there?"

That got Leo's attention. He turned his head toward his younger brother. "What?"

"Leo, you do realize that this roof is the one where we had our fight a few months ago?" Raph asked.

Leo looked at the surrounding roof, the large, red neon sign behind them that read "Red Eye Club", and small, seemingly insignificant red spot on the ground but a few feet away from him.

"So it would seem," he said. He turned his attention back to the city.

"That's all you have to say?" Raph asked, getting angry. That was a night that hurt both him and his brother in ways that could be fixed quickly. But now that Raph was trying to fix it, Leo was just pushing him away.

Flicker. "Raph, I really need to-"

"Hey, Leo! We're right by April's!" Mikey called, energized by the short little break he had taken. "Can we visit?"

Raph glared at Mikey, upset. He was in the middle of a very important discussion and he was sure that Leo was going blow him off, but he didn't care. He didn't get a chance to talk to his elder brother that much, so when he did, Raph always found it a little special.

But no one would ever know. He planned to keep that a secret for as long as he lived.

Leo looked back at his youngest brother, thoughtful. His eyes scanned the city once more, and then he nodded.

"Sure," he said. "We'll visit for a short time, and then we'll head back home."

"Yes!" Mikey cried happily, punching the air with his fist. "Come on! Let's go!"

Mikey started off at a run, Donnie following, close on his heals. Leo smiled fondly at the pair of them, than turned his attention to Raph.

"I'll take up the rear," he said, indicating for Raph to go first.

Raph nodded, still silently fuming to himself over what Leo was doing. He followed his younger brothers and thought about it.

Did Leo really not remember that it was that rooftop that had held perhaps the most significant… "squabble" of their young lives.

Pause.

Okay, my friends. It is here that I feel obliged to inform you on what exactly is happening here.

You see, about two years ago, Master Splinter sent Leonardo to Central America, by himself. Splinter felt that in order to become a better leader, Leonardo had to take some time away from his brothers and… "find himself", if you could say.

Leonardo's training period was supposed to last a year, where after he would return home and take up his position as the official leader of the team.

A year passed without word from Leonardo, and his family eagerly awaited his return. But on the night he was supposed to come back, he never showed. One year later, while the turtle's friend, April O'Neil, one of the very few people who actually know about them, was in Central America when she stumbled upon Leonardo.

She had tried with all her might to get him to come back, but he would not be budged. When she returned home from her trip, where she was recovering an ancient statue for a client of hers, she came home alone.

A few days later, Leonardo showed up at home. And while Master Splinter didn't seem angry at Leonardo for staying longer than he should have, and his brothers were able to go back to life as it was before Leonardo had left, Raphael was unable to let go his feelings of abandonment and betrayal.

Several nights later, they came upon a monster attacking the Foot clan, the noble servants of their dead archenemy, the Shredder. After a few other nights of inspection, the turtles, along with April and Casey Jones, yet another of the few people who knows about the turtles, discovered what was really happening.

The client of April's, who was collecting the statues, turned out to be a warrior from over three thousand years ago, who had opened a portal to another world. That portal released thirteen monsters, froze the warrior's team, and family, to stone, and made the warrior immortal.

Winters was his name, and he was trying to capture all of the monsters by a certain night, the night when all of the stars aligned perfectly with one another. His family, brought to life, but still stone, was his retrieval team, and the Foot clan was his eyes.

The tension between Leonardo and Raphael had been building, where upon Leonardo and Raphael had a very heated battle, right on the rooftop of where our young heroes had just stopped to rest.

While Leonardo had been away, Raphael had grown to anxious in the Lair in which they called home, far beneath the sewers of New York. He had dawned a metal suit and patrolled the city at night, under the name of "The Nightwatcher".

No one knew it was Raphael under there, except Casey, who accompanied him on these outings. So, when Leonardo had the chance to attack the night vigilante, he took the opportunity, not knowing it was Raphael. After discovering that his brother was under the mask, Leonardo had tried to stop, yet Raphael was too pent up with anger that he persued the fight.

In the end, Raphael had come mere inches from plunging his sai into his brother's face, and had run from his nightmare that he had just fulfilled. Leonardo had been left alone, only to be attacked and taken by Winter's stone family, who planned to betray him.

To make a long story short, the brothers rescued Leonardo and they defeated Winters, sending the warrior's family and monsters back to the other world, and Winters was allowed to finally rest.

Sorry to interrupt, friends, but that information was very relevant to this story. And, we may continue.

Our young turtles made it to April's apartment, where she and Casey were cuddled on the sofa, watching a movie. They entered through the window, Leo the last one in. He looked around before entering, making sure that no one saw them. Then he climbed through the window, shut it, and drew the blinds.

"Hey, guys," April, a pretty, slender red-head greeted, her green eyes sparkling.

"Hey, April," Donnie replied. "Hi, Casey. We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd stop in. Hope we're not disturbing anything…"

"No, no," April said. "We're always happy when you guys come over."

"What movie you guys watching?" Mikey asked, looking at the face of Nicholas Cage paused on the small television screen.

" 'National Treasure' ", Casey replied. He was a broad-shouldered, dark haired man with a short fuse. Him and Raph got along great. "You guys want to join?"

"Sure!" Mikey exclaimed, sitting cross- legged on the floor in front of the couch.

The two middle turtles looked at Leo, making sure it was okay. He looked at them, then at Mikey. He nodded.

"Why not?" he said, sitting in the chair next to the couch.

Donnie smiled and sat next to Mikey, and Raph sat on the sofa next to Casey.

"We actually just started it, so you guys didn't miss much," April explained. "You want us to rewind it to the beginning?"

"Naw, we're fine," Raph said. "Just start it up."

Ninety minutes later, credits rolled up the screen to the theme music playing in the background.

"Wow, what a good movie!" Donnie cried. "Only a few historical errors, and very clever!"

"I agree!" April said.

"Ah, I like that Ian guy," Raph , twirling one of his sais.

"You would," Mikey said. "I liked Riley. He was the comic relief."

"Just like you!" Raph ducked as a pillow came flying towards his head.

"Okay, that Abigail Chase character was really-"

"Finish that sentence and you'll wake up tomorrow hanging by your toes from a tree in Central Park," April cut Casey off, an evil glare shot towards her boyfriend.

"I think she means it Case," Leo said, chuckling.

"Shut up, Leo," Casey grumbled, shooting the blue banded turtle a look.

Leo held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I was just trying to-"

Leo stopped mid-sentence. Everyone looked at him, his brow suddenly furrowed with worry.

"We've got to get home," he said suddenly, standing up and moving toward the window.

"Why?" Mikey asked, standing up as well, the smile gone from his face. It worried him to see his brother worried like this.

"Something's not right," they heard Leo mutter. He opened the window and turned back to his family.

"Let's go!" he ordered, his eyes roaming over his brothers.

The three younger brothers flew out the window. You did not want to mess with Leonardo was in leader mode. You did not want to mess with Leonardo when he was in big- brother mode. You did not want to mess with Leonardo when he was in "son" mode. And you especially did not want to mess with Leonardo when he was a combination of all three.

And right now, the brothers could tell that he was a combination of all three. Which told them something else that made them move.

Something was wrong with Master Splinter.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Theories of life?

Let me know by clicking the small blue box.

v It's right there... Go on, click it!


	3. Died

'Ello! Hope your weekend was good! Mine was uneventful. I thought I would post this now, 'cause when my roommate gets back, I'm being kicked out of the room, because she is having a Lord of the Rings marathon with a friend. I like it, but I'm not in the mood. So, I will be off the local coffee shop and get some coffee, bring a book, and read until they are done. :)

So, here's the next chapter!

Also, I was getting a lot of people asking me who the "narrator" is. It's just a narrator. A random being in the universe. It's all-knowing.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The turtles are, sadly, still not mine. One day, though... one day...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Died.

The end of life.

Death is a mysterious thing. It can either come quickly and swipe away the ones we love, or it can linger, slowly sucking the life painfully out of his victim. We can never really be sure how he functions, really.

People fear death, if they themselves are not ready to face off with it, And yet other's who have had enough of this place we call earth embrace and look forward to meeting it. So, why are there so many theories about what happens after death? How can we be sure the ones we love will have the strength to move forward?

Most people associate death with darkness, night, silence… all people think the same things when they think of or hear death. But there are the other few, who see death as light, day, loud…

These are the ones who accept death for what it is. The ones who respect it, show it mercy and kindness.

So why is death sometime merciless to the people around it? Why must it cause pain to the people who love and care for it's victims?

Any ideas, friends?

I thought so. So many ideas, so little time…

And time… another mysterious thing…

But that's a subject for another time…

For now, let's get back to our friends.

TMNT

Raph, Donnie, and Mikey had an even harder time keeping up with Leo now that something was wrong. He had to keep slowing down for them to catch up, only to have to do it again a few rooftops later.

Finally, they reached the Lair. Leo pulled the lever that allowed them entry and all four entered, the door closing after they were all in.

"Master Splinter?" Leo called, having a bit of trouble keeping his voice calm.

There was no answer.

"Master Splinter?" Raph called, a little louder than Leo.

Silence.

"MASTER SPLINTER!" Mikey screamed, the loudest anyone, human or animal, could yell.

The brothers listened, and still there was no sound.

The four turtles looked worriedly at one another. If Master Splinter hadn't responded to Mikey's yell, something was definitely wrong.

They made their way to Master Splinter's quarters, where they were sure they would find him. Leo pulled back the sliding door that gave their father privacy.

They all rushed in, and came to a halt.

Their father was sitting lotus style on his favorite meditation mat, a small smile on his lips. His hand rested peacefully on his knees and his staff lay on the floor in front of him.

"Master Splinter?" Donnie asked, slowly and carefully moving toward him.

"Sensei?" Mikey asked quietly, following his older brother.

Donnie raised his hand and gently shook his father's shoulder.

Master Splinter never moved.

"Father?" Leo asked, stepping forward, Raph right behind him. He walked up to their father and kneeled down on one knee. He put his hand on the rat's shoulder and gently shook, just as Donnie had.

There was no response.

Leo looked up at his brothers, sorrow etched in his face.

"Guys, Master Splinter is-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Leo," Raph cut him off.

"But he's-"

"No!" Mikey yelled, tears forming in his eyes. "No! He can't be… be…"

Mikey fell to his knees, sobbing. Donnie sat down next to him, tears running down his cheeks, and held his baby brother.

"Leo, you… you gotta be wrong," Raph whispered, his eyes pleading with his older brother.

Leo took a deep breath. "I wish I was," he said, just as quiet.

"No, you… he can't… he…"

Leo stood up and gently, carefully, tenderly, he picked up their father and carried him over to his bed, a small crate-like structure in the corner of the room. There, he lay him down and folded his father's hand on his chest. Then, he took a sheet lying next to the bed, and tenderly threw it over his father after kissing him softly on the forehead.

Leo turned to his brothers. Mikey and Donnie were still in the same position, and Raph had sunk to his knees, staring at the lifeless form of their Sensei.

The eldest turtle made his way to his brothers. He gathered them all in a hug and there he held them. Mikey was sobbing uncontrollably, Donnie was crying, his shoulders shaking, and Raph had silent tears running down his face.

And Leo held them, rubbing the back of there shells to comfort them. After a while, he began to sing a song that Master Splinter had taught them long ago. It was their favorite, and whenever one of them was sick, their father would sing it to them.

"When the moon is driven from the sky, and the stars become so hard to find, let your eyes flutter open, to greet the new day and push the last one aside."

Mikey's crying calmed a little and Donnie's became a small sniffle. Raph's river of tears dried to a small stream.

"Live each day as well as you can, and hold onto your loved ones hands, for you never know just when, they may not open their eyes again."

All three of his brothers were silent, listening to the words their Sensei had sung to them for so many years.

"Take life as it comes, never cease to stop caring, for if you are finished with the clothes you are wearing, give it, don't toss it aside, to another soul that has worse faring."

Leo could hear his brothers breathing slow and become calmer. He was the only one awake as he finished the last part of the song.

"For if you awake one day, only to find me gone, just remember that I'll still be there, watching over you, my sons."

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Well! What did you think? I came up with the song all by myself! I feel so proud of myself!

So, please review! Let me know what you think!!!


	4. Woes

*Hides under bed* Sorry! I had to kill off Splinter! Please don't hurt me! *Whimpers*

...

Phew! i just spent six hours making flash cards for an exam I have tomorrow! Now, I'm off to go study them... Grr... :P But before I do that, I thought I would post the next chapter! :)

So, who's excited for the "Twilight" premiere on Friday?! I'm seeing a midnight preview, then going to my friend's house to see it again on Friday night! I can't wait!

But enough about that. Let's get back to the matter at hand. Let me know what you think about this chapter! Enjoy!

(And thanks for the reviews!)

Disclaimer: Sadly, the TMNT are still not mine :(

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Woes.

Deep distress or misery, as from grief.

Everyone has woes; sadness, anger, and every other emotion known to man. Woes are what makes us human, though. Every other creature on this earth experiences anger, happiness, frustration, love, hate, and so much more.

But woes, that's what makes us different.

We can feel sadness for others and ourselves; it's what helps us mourn the death of a loved one. It helps us realize that perhaps, when compared to others, our lives are much more happier; that we have things that others want, and we take some form of pride from that.

And it is woes that allow us to heal…

TMNT

Raph was the first one awake the next morning. He yawned and stretched, his blanket slipping off his shoulders as he did so. He paused and blinked.

He didn't remember going to bed last night.

BAM!

The events of last night suddenly hit Raph and it took all his will power and a deep breath to keep the tears from his eyes.

His father, master, and sensei was gone, take silently by death itself. And that night, Raph had cried, something he didn't do very often.

In fact, he could only recall himself crying four times in his life… five after last night.

_Leo must have put us all in bed,_ Raph thought, remembering how his older brother had sung them to sleep.

Raph stood up and walked to his door, opening it. It was unusual for him to wake this early, and even more unusual to awake to a silent household. Slowly, he made his way downstairs.

He was only mildly surprised to see Leo sitting at the kitchen table. The elder turtle was sitting in his usual spot, a cup of tea in his hands. Raph could tell he had been there all night; the tea was cold and Leo's body looked stiff.

Raph took his seat at the table, but still Leo did not move.

"Donnie and Mikey still sleeping?" he asked, his voice soft.

Leo nodded, his gaze still fixed on the cup in hands.

"Did you sleep at all?"

Leo shook his head. "I went to bed after you guys, but I couldn't sleep. I came down here to make some tea and to think." He shook his head and blinked. "Guess I lost track of time."

Raph nodded. "You want to go to bed now? I'll handle Donnie and Mikey when they wake up."

Leo shook his head. "I'll be okay. I'm not that tired anyways."

Raph was silent. He knew that out of the four of them, Leo had been the closest to Master Splinter. He was worried by how his brother might be taking it, but he seemed okay.

Then again, Leo always seemed okay, even when he wasn't.

The sound of light footsteps brought Raph's attention to the stairs. His second youngest brother was carefully coming down them, a silver object and a screwdriver in hand. He said nothing to his elder brothers as he took his seat at the table, already at work on his newest project.

Raph glanced at Leo once again. He looked exhausted. Though his bandana hid the most of it, there were dark circles under his eyes. Raph was worried that Leo was going to run himself ragged.

But right now, he had more important issues to worry about. For, at the current moment, a very silent, very teary baby brother was coming down the steps.

Actually, it was more like flying.

"LEO! RAPH! DONNIE!" Mikey screamed, rushing into the arms of his eldest brother.

Leo comforted his smallest brother as he cried into his shoulders. Donnie never faltered in his work, and Raph slowly stood up, anger for his father leaving them beginning to build up.

The phone rang.

Raph and Donnie looked at one another, the first time Donnie had made eyes contact with anyone since he had come downstairs. They both glanced at Leo, who was making comforting sounds to calm Mikey.

Donnie stood and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Don, it's April," the voice on the other end of the phone replied.

"Hi," Donnie said, looking at his eldest and younger brother.

"Hi. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. You guys kind of rushed out of here last night."

"Um, yeah. Everything is… fine…" Donnie said, trying to ignore the lump forming in his throat. Raph heard the distress in his voice and came over.

"Are you sure? You sound…"

"Master Splinter… he… he…"

Donnie broke down. Raph was there in an instant and took the phone gently from him as Donnie clutched at him.

"Hey, April," Raph said.

"Raph! Is Donnie okay? What's happening?"

"Well, April…"

"Raph!" Donnie sobbed. "Leo!"

"Master Splinter… is gone…" Raph said.

Oh, how he hated himself for saying it. It made it seem final, absolute.

"Oh, Raph…" April breathed. "Are you guys okay? Do you need help? Do you want me and Casey to come over?"

"No, we're fine… for now. We'll call if we need you. Listen, April, I gotta go. I got two brothers who need me…"

"Yes, of course," April said hastily. "Sorry again. Just call if you need anything."

"Will do," Raph said.

"Raph!" Leo said, his voice commanding.

Raph hung up the phone and turned to see a worried Leo holding a hyper-ventilating Mikey. Somehow, Raph was able to get Donnie over to them and Leo and Raph traded places. Raph got Mikey calmed enough so that his cries were silent and Leo had Donnie simply hiccupping soon afterwards.

Raph looked at his older brother for support. But one look told him everything he needed to know.

It was going to be tough first couple of months.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Click the little button below and review! Easy on the flames! Tough ones will be used to make brownies :)


	5. Fury

Hello, friends. Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it! And I probably won't be posting anything until after Thanksgiving. So hope you have a great one, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: The turtles are not mine, but I am ever-so thankful that they do exist!!!!!

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Fury.

A strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong.

Everyone has a fury in them, but from some, it is more easily discovered. Some have very short furies, while others can let go after a short period of time. And still, for some, it takes a lot to get their fury aroused; others can be aroused by the smallest thing.

Many things have fury; it's what makes us human. We can get angry at others, at inanimate objects, at nature, and many other things. We can get mad at ourselves.

We can get mad at death.

We get angry that death has taken someone from us, and we want revenge on death, something that is very dangerous.

We cannot get revenge on death, and so we blame ourselves. Or we can blame others…

Which sounds a lot more appealing than placing the blame on ourselves.

TMNT

Punch after punch after punch. That's all that Raph did to the felt dummy in the dojo, slowly pummeling the stuffing out of the helpless object. All he could see was red, and the face that Leo had given him that night a few weeks ago.

It was three weeks since the passing of Master Splinter. Raph had run himself ragged trying to comfort his younger brothers. He could only imagine what Leo must feel like.

Every other night, Mikey would wake up with nightmares, something he hadn't had in years. And every night, he sought out Leo. And the nights he couldn't find Leo, he came looking for a very tired, very grumpy Raphael.

Donnie had simply locked himself in his lab, coming out only to use the bathroom. Leo brought his meals to him and tried to talk to him, but he simply ignored them. Raph's anger hadn't gotten to him and the only one he would actually allow in for a few hours was Mikey, something that shocked the other two turtles.

Usually, Donnie never let their youngest brother anywhere near his gadgets, for fear of having major damage done to his prized possessions. But for the past few weeks, Mikey had been unusually quiet, and the only time Raph ever heard him really heard him make any loud noise was when he was with their purple-banded brother.

And Leo…

Raph's punches became quicker and more powerful at the thought of his older brother. Leo was really making Raph angry; he was acting even more protective than usual. Ever since Master Splinter had… passed… there had been no visits to the surface. They hadn't heard from or seen April and Casey since Master Splinter's funeral, and now Leo was even thinking about resuming morning training.

Why couldn't Leo just leave them all be for the moment?

The head of the dummy swung all the way around before coming back to its original position. Raph's breathing was heavy as he stepped back, all his anger ebbed slightly from his recent stress reliever.

"You really should get to bed," a voice said.

Raph whipped around to the source of the sound and saw Leo standing in the doorway to the dojo. He scowled.

"And why would I do a thing like that?" Raph growled.

"Because I don't want you falling down from lack of sleep at tomorrow morning's practice," Leo replied, staring his younger brother in the eyes.

"I 'ain't practicing in the morning," Raph said, turning his shell to the door.

There was no response. Raph turned his head slightly to look in the doorway.

Leo was gone. Raph unfolded his arms that he had unconsciously crossed. Silently, he exited the dojo and poked his head around the corner.

Leo was heading into Donnie's lab, a blanket in his arms. When he came out, the blanket was gone and he had a stack of plates in his arms. He set them in the sink and crossed to the couch, where a sleeping Mikey was curled up after dozing off while watching television. He carefully lifted the youngest turtle in his arms and gently carried him up the steps to his room.

Mikey never woke.

Raph silently marveled at his brother's ability to care for them. He had been doing it single-handedly for the past three weeks, and not once had Raph heard him complain.

There was always food in the house… sewer. They were all fed, and Master Splinter had been buried, all with no help from him, Donnie, or Mikey.

Sure, Raph had helped him get Mikey and Donnie under control the first few days and after the funeral, but now it was Raph's time to let off some steam.

And the best way he knew how to do that was to take his emotions off on something else. Hence the poor, now-less-than-stuffed dummy…

Raph was angry at the fact that Master Splinter had died. He wasn't angry _at_ Master Splinter for dying; he had known that one day it would happen. He was more angry at the fact that death had _taken_ his father from him. Angry at Mother Nature for letting this happen.

And the worst part was that no one was able to cure his anger.

Master Splinter had always known the right remedy for Raphael's anger. He had always been able to understand his second son, even when no one else could. Master Splinter had been able to calm him, put his fears and demons and monsters away before he did something he regretted.

But now Master Splinter was gone, and no one would be able to help him now.

Sure, Leo might try, but it wouldn't be the same. It was that father's intuition that Splinter had, always knowing when one of his sons was in need.

That was, if they could get him away from Leo first.

Raph bared his teeth. Leo was always taking up their Master's time, hardly giving any of his younger brothers time alone with their father.

"Are you going to help with these dishes or are you going to make me do them by myself?"

Raph looked up and saw Leo at the sink, running water over dirty plates. He hadn't turned around, and his arms were wrist deep in soapy water.

"I thought you wanted me in bed?" Raph challenged.

"It's obvious that you're not going to bed anytime soon," Leo replied calmly. "So you can help me with the dishes, or you can go to bed. Your choice."

Raph growled. "I'm going to bed," he said, making it sound as if it were his idea, not Leo's.

Without another glance at his brother, Raph climbed the steps to his room. On his way, he passed by Mikey's room. Through the door, he could small whimpers. Raph sighed.

It was going to be another long night…

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I always liked the way that Leo took care of his brothers. I think he is so under-appreciated. Him and Don. They just don't get the credit they deserve. And I also like the way that Leo is so mysterious...

So, leave me a review!!!!!


	6. Worn

Okay, so, when I posted my other story yesterday, I didn't realize that I hadn't updated this one! I'm sorry!

Anyways, heres the next chapter :) This scene... I don't know what I was thinking, really, lol. I like the dynamic between Leo and Raph, but other than that...

Sorry it's so short. I think the next one will be longer... maybe... haha.

Enjoy!!!!!

Disclaimer: The boys are still not mine.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Worn

Diminished in value or usefulness through wear, use, handling, etc.

We humans tend to wear everything down. We wear down our cars, our clothes, our houses, our computers, our families.

Ourselves…

But we do not notice that we wear ourselves out until the moment of the end; the moment that we break down from everything that we have done.

And sometimes, our families are there to catch us.

Other times, we fall alone, with no one to catch us.

But we humans are so stubborn that we do not realize that we begin to fall from wear until we have almost hit the bottom…

And then it is too late…

TMNT

Three o'clock. That was time that Raph awoke. He sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get back to sleep.

He rolled over in his bed and swung his legs over the side, feeling the cold floor underneath. He shivered slightly. He might as well work a little with his katas, get warmed up before morning practice.

But as he walked down the steps, he heard a noise coming from the dojo. Cautiously and silently, he made his way over and peered around the corner.

There was Leo, his swords out, running through a very complicated kata. His swords hissed through the air, his hands constantly moving, never staying in one position for too long.

Raph noticed the sweat that lingered on his brother's body, making him glisten. His movements were fast, but not as fast as he usually was. His fluid motion was choppy as he landed from a flip. His breath was heavy.

"What do you want, Raph?" Leo asked, not even turning around to face his brother. He didn't even break stride by moving to the next kata.

"Couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come down and train for a while…" Raph said. "Leo, how long have you been up?"

"Couple of hours," came the reply.

"How long you been training?"

No answer.

"Leo, did you even go to bed?"

Silence, save for the hissing of swords as they cut through the air.

"Leo?"

"Are you going to join me, or are you just going to stand there all night?"

Raph scowled. Leo hadn't answered any of his questions, which meant that they were negative answers to all of them.

Fine.

If that's the way Leo wanted to be, then that's the way that Raph was going to act.

Plus, he couldn't wait to let some steam out before morning practice.

Slowly, he drew his sais from his belt and crossed so he was standing in front of his brother. He took a stance.

Leo didn't move. Raph scrutinized him, eyeing his exhausted frame. It was never like Leo to make the first move; he never had, and he never would.

Raph saw that Leo was leaning ever-so-slightly to the left, a sign that he was aching on his right side. It was there that he saw a chance…

Raph charged. He held his weapons in an offensive way, ready for any attack that Leo would dish out.

And sure enough, Leo easily dodged the attack by moving to the left. He lifted his blades, ready to strike, but Raph spun around, anticipating the move. He blocked it easily, the clang of metal against metal echoing in the dojo.

Leo lifted his blades out of the reach of the sais and spun, taking another stance. He was panting heavily, a sure sign that he was tired; a sign that Raph didn't noticed.

Raph stood, facing his brother. He was panting as well, more out of the release of his anger that was slightly blinding his ability to really see.

So it was a big surprise when, after Raph charged again, that Leo fell on his back, his swords landing a few feet away, but out of reach, pinned under his younger brother.

Raph suddenly stopped, looking into the eyes of his brother, both having the same movie playing through their heads.

Both were silently reliving that night on the roof…

Raph slowly got off his brother, sitting on the floor next to him, his eyes wide. Leo lay there for a few seconds before standing and going to retrieve his swords. He bent to pick them up and put them in their sheaths on his back. He turned to Raph.

"You're getting better," he said.

Raph said nothing, staring at his sais. Leo walked over to him, where Raph looked up.

"Leo, what's gonna happen?"

Leo looked surprised, but only for a moment, by the question.

"What?"

"What are we gonna do?" Raph rephrased his original question.

"About what?" Leo asked, sitting down besides his brother. He crossed his legs under him.

"Master Splinter used to teach us everything new. What are we gonna learn now that he…"

Understanding crossed Leo's face. "I think I can learn some of the things in some of Master Splinter's old books, and then teach them to you guys."

"But it won't be the same!" Raph suddenly exclaimed, standing up. "You aren't Master Splinter! You can't do what he did! I don't see why you have to try to be like him, like your trying to prove something to him when he's not here anymore!"

Leo remained silent at Raph's outburst. Raph left in a huff, leaving his older brother alone in the dojo, missing the small hurt in his eye.

Raph had no idea that he was pushing his brother farther and farther down the cliff…

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I think I was trying to show what was going to happen now that Splinter was gone... Hmm...

Guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out!!!! But in the mean time, why not just hit that button and review? I'll give you a mini-Leo!!!!!


	7. Grin

Hey, guys. Sorry fir not posting yesterday. I was studying all day for finals today, and it didn't seem to help. Chemistry totally murdered me :P Anyways, here's the next chapter! Sorry, but it's not a very long one, but this is the point where the healing starts :) And I apologize in advance at my attempt at humor. I'm just not funny, and I can't really get that side of Mikey to come out through my writing. *shrugs* Oh, well. I tried.

Disclaimer: Sadly, the turtles are still not mine

Oh! And for everyone who was kind enough to review, here's the mini-Leo I promised you! *hands out mini-Leos* He may get angry and depressed at times but he sure is fun! Just give him a hug and he'll be all better :)

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Grin.

To smile broadly, especially as an indication of pleasure, amusement, or the like.

Grins. They show that we are happy, and they are the most common thing in our lives. They show up on everyone's face, whether it be true and genuine, or forced and fake. But they show us that we care.

Grins can be contagious, spreading from one person to another, and is usually followed by laughter.

Laughter can make life much more enjoyable, and it can all start with a small grin…

TMNT

Mikey awoke the next morning to Donnie shaking his shoulder.

"Come on, Mikey," he said, shaking more vigerously. "Leo's gonna be really mad if we're not in the dojo for morning practice."

"Too tired…" Mikey yawned, rolling so his shell was turned to his brother.

"You're going to be much more tired when Leo kicks the crap out of you for missing practice," Donnie tried to reason.

But his reasoning fell on deaf ears as Mikey quickly drifted off to sleep once more.

The next time Mikey was awoken, it was more rudely. A rough hand was violently shaking his arm, making his entire body shake.

"Michelangelo, you get your shell out of bed right this instant or I swear, I'll make you do flips for the rest of your life!" Leo threatened, his voice hardened.

Mikey's eyes flew open at the threat and he turned to face his eldest brother, fire blazing behind them.

"You can't make me do flips!" Mikey yelled, making Leo draw his hand back. "Only Master Splinter can do that! And he's… he's…"

"He's dead, Mikey," Leo said silently.

"I know that!" Mikey screamed, throwing his sheets off himself. "I know he's dead! You don't have to remind me!"

"I wasn't trying to remind you, Mike," Leo said silently, making Mikey calm slightly.

"I know…" Mikey said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Leo sat beside him, putting his arm around his shoulders.

"It's just… I miss him. I miss the way he would watch those stupid soap operas, the way he would sneak the last piece of chocolate cake, the songs he would hum loudly and off-tune."

"I know," Leo said soothingly, drawing Mikey into a hug.

"And it's just so hard! I mean, I know you're trying, but it's just not the same!"

Mikey was to preoccupied to notice the stiffness his brother suddenly attained at his words. Tears began to run down his face.

"It's just… I miss him so bad! I haven't been able to smile since it happened! Every time I try, I think of him, and it doesn't work! All the color has drained out and everything sounds dull and boring! I can't concentrate!"

"Like you could concentrate before," Leo said.

Mikey pulled away and looked Leo in the eyes. A small smile was on his brother's face.

And suddenly, the corners of Mikey's mouth turned up. Before he knew what was happening, a chuckle that started in the back of his throat became barely suppressed laughter.

Finally, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard, Mikey was able to settle down. He looked at Leo, who was wearing a small smile.

"See?" he said. "You can laugh, and smile, and have a good time even though Master Splinter is gone."

Mikey's smile dropped.

"You just have to remember the good times," Leo added quickly. "Like the time he tried to hide that video game from you for our birthday? Remember?"

Mikey's smile returned. "Yeah! Or when he tried to hide it in the sugar, but when we made the cookies, I was the one who found the orange-wrapped present in the sugar container! He kept telling me it was a giant orange!"

Leo nodded.

"But it really was a basketball!"

"See? Just remember the good memories, and it can help you smile at the good time we had when Master Splinter was alive."

"Thanks, Leo," Mikey said, giving his eldest brother a hug.

"No problem, little brother," Leo replied, returning the embrace. "Now come on. We're already half-an-hour late for morning practice."

"Aww," Mikey groaned playfully. "Can't we skip practice this morning?"

Leo smiled. "Come on." He stood up. "I left Raph and Donnie alone in the dojo. They might have killed each other by now…"

"Nah," Mikey shook his head. "Raph would've killed Donnie and then made him clean up the mess."

"Donnie's stronger than he looks. And Raph's not to big on the whole 'clean-up-when-your-done' thing."

"Yeah, you're right…"

Beat.

"He would have waited, and then made you clean it up!"

"Hey!"

"Last one to the dojo is a shell-for-brains!"

"Mikey!"

The only trace left of the youngest turtle was the sound of laughter drifting through the sewer…

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

See? It's not funny! i just can't do funny. Anyways, I tried to get to the other side of Mikey, the one that I know he has, but doesn't show. Just 'cause he seems happy all the time, doesn't mean that he doesn't get sad or depressed like the rest of us :) I like to look deeper into than some people, but that's just me :)

Now, I know you want to review! So... do it! :)


	8. Mind

Hello, friends! Hope everything is going well for you! I know everything here is the best it can be! I didn't fail my Chemistry final like I thought, and I am not home for Christmas break! A whole three weeks of doing nothing but relaxing! Except I start work on Tuesday :P

Anyways, back to the story. The healing continues! This was kind of hard for me to write, seeing as how...

Well, I'll let you read and decide! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The turtles still have yet to come into my possession... Grrrr...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Mind.

Intellect or understanding, as distinguished from the facilities or feeling and willing.

What is it about our minds that makes them unique? We all have them, we all grow up in basically the same society, the same types of people, and in the same world. So what defines what makes a mind intelligent?

Is it the environment we are exposed to? Is it the people that we encounter?

Or is it the ideas that we face, and our ability to challenge them?

Some people like the thrill of a challenge and pursue it wherever and whenever possible. Others are born followers and choose to conform to the natural swing of society.

So then why do only a handful of people get recognized? Why are only a few given credit for things that people before them, and beside them, have tried or invented, or discovered?

Are we greedy, or are we just so wrapped up in the moment that we forget everything else?

TMNT

A week has passed, dear friends.

It has been approximately one month since the passing of Master Splinter. Mikey has been acting normal since his talk with Leo, but our story today is not of the youngest turtle.

It is of the one who is the wielder of the bo staff…

Some re-cap for you, friends. Donatello has not left his lab since that morning after, except to use the bathroom and perhaps sleep in his own bed a few times. But other than that, Leo has brought him food, blankets, and made sure that he is altogether alright. He has gotten Donnie out for morning practices, but not much else.

Except that emotionally, he is not right…

And today is the day which Leo wants to fix it.

Let us watch…

And learn.

TMNT

Leo walked to the door of Donnie's lab and knocked quietly before entering.

Donnie was sitting at his computer desk, shell hunched, and typing away madly at the keyboard.

"Donnie?"

The only answer was the sound of the keyboard.

"Don?"

No answer.

"Donatello."

"Go away, Leo."

Leo stood next to his brother, reading what was on the computer monitor. He couldn't make out all the symbols and soon gave up, putting his hand on Donnie's shoulder.

"We're all going to watch movies," Leo said. "Want to join us?"

"I'm busy."

Leo looked down at Donnie, noticing the circles under his eyes. But Donnie didn't pay any attention. He was too engrossed in his work to notice anything. It was the only way he could not think about Master Splinter, and so far, it had proved effective.

But Leo wasn't buying it any more.

Donnie didn't pay any attention when Leo removed his hand from his shoulder. He didn't notice Leo move away, and to the back of his desk.

So it came as a surprise when the screen in front of him went dark.

"Leo!" Donnie screamed. "Plug it back in right now!"

Leo appeared back around the desk, arms crossed and looking rather pleased with himself.

"No."

"Plug it back in," Donnie said, his normally cool demeanor slowly slipping off.

"No."

Donnie was slightly taken aback at Leo's response. Usually, when he was angry, everyone made sure to steer clear away, even Master Splinter. So when Leo refused to abide to the normal rules, it came as a surprise.

"This has got to end, Don," Leo said, arms still crossed.

"What has to end?" Donnie shouted. "I don't see anything that has to end!"

"I do," Leo replied calmly. "I just don't think that you do."

"Then what is it? Please, shed some light on the subject!" Donnie yelled.

"Fine," Leo said, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "You think that if you simply don't think about Master Splinter, that if you focus your thoughts on something else, that it won't hurt so much."

Donnie was at a loss for words. Mostly because he knew that Leo was right, and partly because he himself didn't realize it. He just did what his mind told him to do…

And right now, it was telling him to forget about Master Splinter's death and work on something else.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized that while he had been working non-stop for the past month, he had forgotten a lot about Master Splinter. If he had just focused on his father's death for a few moments, perhaps then it wouldn't feel so bad now.

Leo stood up and put his arms around his brother. Donnie let his head drop to Leo's shoulder and watched as tears ran slowly down his brother's shell.

They stood like that for a few minutes, Leo allowing his brother to finally sort through his head. They broke away, Donnie wiping his eyes hastily.

"You're right," Donnie sniffed. "As always."

Leo smiled. "Naturally."

"So, can I have my power back now?"

"Only if you come and watch movies with us," Leo bargained. "Come on, we're having extra- buttered popcorn…"

"Okay," Donnie said, not being able to resist the delicious taste of butter and popcorn.

"Good. Now we just have to make sure that Raph and Mikey don't eat it all."

"Then we'd better hurry!"

Donnie ran out of the lab, followed by Leo.

He shut the light off before he closed the door.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I've never really been able to get inside Don's head like the others. Leo's is easiest for me to look inside, but Don and Mikey are the hardest for me. I can kinda get inside his head, but not real well, 'cause I'm just not funny, lol. Raph is somewhat easy for me, but he's still a little difficult.

Anyways, click the little button below! Review like you have been! I really enjoy the reviews!!!!!!


	9. Form

Hello, friends! hope you are fine! I know I am! Excited for the holidays as well! Just got all my shopping done, and now I'm off to work in a bit, so I thought I'd update before I go :)

Also, I'll be posting another Christmas story later, so look for that in a bit. But for now, here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: Still not mine

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Form.

Something that gives or determines shape.

Us humans are unique because of our form; nothing in the world has the same form that we have. No other animal has the ability to walk completely upright, or has opposable thumbs.

And it is because of our form that we think that we are superior to everything else.

We look down at animals and criticize them, making them seem smaller than what they really are. We try to find the faults in others to make us feel superior, when really, everything on this green earth is equal.

Our turtle friends show us just that…

TMNT

Raph awoke the next morning to the sound of Mikey knocking loudly at his door.

"Raphie Boy!" the youngest turtle yelled through the wood. "Wakey, wakey! We're all waiting!"

Raph shoved a pillow over his head, trying to drown out the sound.

"Don't make me come in there!" Mikey teased.

Raph's response was to throw a sai at the door. He heard Mikey scream lightly at the point of the weapon that now protruded through the door. Footsteps hurried down the stairs and Raph sighed happily, rolling over and going back to sleep.

He had gotten his point across.

The next time Raph awoke, he heard loud, laughing voices coming from downstairs. Curious, he looked at the clock.

1: 09.

He had missed morning practice…

An especially loud group laugh suddenly sounded from the first floor. His curiosity getting the better of him, he got up and poked his head out of the door.

April's and Casey's voices could be heard, followed by those of Donnie and Mikey. Slightly angry at not being woken up for their friends, he quickly pulled his sai out of his door and stormed downstairs.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty!" Casey said, looking up as Raph came downstairs.

"Why didn't you wake me up when this bone-head got here?" Raph asked Donnie, jerking his thumb towards Casey, who, very maturely, stuck his tongue out at Raph's shell.

Donnie shrugged. "We tried, but then Leo told us that you'd wake up when you wanted too."

Raph ground his teeth. "He did, did he?"

"Chill, dude," Mikey smiled. "You woke up, didn't you?"

"And how long have you been here?" Raph asked the two humans.

April lifted her shoulders. "Half-an-hour, maybe?"

Raph's eyes nearly bulged out of his face.

Mikey's smile dropped. "It's not that long, Raph."

"It's long enough…" Raph muttered. He looked around. "Where's Fearless Leader?"

Donnie's expression became one of worry. "He's in the dojo…"

Ignoring the look on his younger brother's face, the red-banded turtle stalked to the dojo, where the faint sound of metal cutting through air could be heard. He walked in to find Leo, sweat covering his body and his breath ragged, running through a kata.

"Leo…" Raph growled, making Leo turn his head slightly at his voice.

"Raph," Leo said, going back to his kata.

"I got something to say to you."

Leo didn't break stride. "Then say it."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Leo stopped and faced his brother. Raph hated it when Leo wasn't giving him his full attention. It was like he was just second in line when it came to priorities.

"What do you want, Raph?" Leo asked, his breath coming in gasps.

"I want you to listen to me when I'm talking to you!" Raph yelled. He was at his temper's end, and the smallest thing, like not being woken up when there was company over, had just set off his fuse.

"I want you to wake me up when we have company! I want to have the decision _not_ to got to morning practice! I want to go topside and run! I want to kick butt! But most of all," Raph's voice got dangerous, "I want you to stop trying to be Splinter!"

April, Casey, Donnie, and Mikey had heard the commotion and now stood at the door to the dojo. Mikey looked worried and Donnie was ready to intervene if necessary.

"Is that all?" Leo said, lifting up his swords, ready to get back to his kata.

"I hate it when you do that!" Raph said, not quite finished. Leo was making him more angry by the minute. "I hate how you assume that I'm finished! I hate the way you think you have to be prefect at everything! I hate the way you never take the time to listen-"

"I do listen!" Leo yelled, spinning around to face his brother suddenly. "I do listen, contrary too what you might think!"

"I wasn't finished!"

"Then by all means, please continue!"

"No! If you're going to be like that, I'll just stop!"

"Fine! Then leave too!"

"No!"

"Leave!"

"I hate you ordering me around!"

"I don't order you around!"

"I hate you thinking your better than me!"

"Raph," Donnie said, entering and cautiously walking to his older brother. This was going somewhere that it shouldn't…

"I _am_ better than you!"

"Raph, Leo," Donnie tried quietly.

"I beg to differ!"

"Then please, beg!"

The next words out of Raph's mouth made the blood freeze in everyone's veins…

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

*Looks up from computer* Oh, are you done with that already?

So... what'd ya think? I think you know where this is going, but I can never pass up a good Raph/Leo fight. They can give you such insight to their characters...

Anyways, review, please! It's the holidays...


	10. Hate

Hey, guys! Hope your Holiday was great! I know mine was!

Well, I have to make this hurry, 'cause I need to leave for work. So, I'll just get on with it.

Disclaimer: I did not get the TMNT for Christmas, so they are still not mine... :(

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Hate.

To dislike intensely or passionately; to feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility towards; detest.

Hate is such a small word in our language, but it has possibly the biggest and most heavy meaning in that language. And us humans use it constantly, not really meaning it. Perhaps not truly knowing the full meaning…

We hate doing chores. We hate doing homework and going to school. We hate out friends when they joke around with us and tease us.

But rarely, very rarely, do we truly feel hate _towards_ someone.

Us humans are the only living things to feel this hatred towards someone else. It has helped destroy one another through wars, bullying, and even within our own families.

So why do we continue to hate, when we know it's wrong?

When you can answer that, we'll have found the best way to achieve world peace…

But for now, let's get back to our story.

TMNT

"I hate you."

Raphael's words were said quietly, dangerously, and with malice written all over his face.

The room was quiet, broken only by the heavy breathing of the eldest turtle. Casey and April shared a look, returning their gaze quickly back to the two turtles. Mikey's mouth hung open, his eyes pleading and watery. Donnie's hand hovered where it had been slowly approaching Raph's shoulder, eyes wide. Said turtle was staring at Leo, the emotion of his words radiating from his eyes.

And Leonardo…

He just stood there, face blank, eyes wavering between Raph's, swords held tightly at his side, his breathing ragged and sweat pouring off his green skin and down his shell.

Donnie's and Mikey's eyes went from Raph to Leo, from Leo to Raph, back and forth, like a tennis match.

No one could believe what Raph had just said. Not one of the four brothers had ever said those forbidden words to one another. They were forbade by Master Splinter years ago, ever since they could talk.

"Are you finished?" Leo asked, breaking the bleeding silence.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," was Raph's bitter reply.

"Then you won't mind if I continue training," Leo said, turning his shell to his brother and taking a stance, ready to finish his interrupted kata.

"Whatever," Raph said, turning towards the door and pushing his way through. April and Casey gladly moved away, but he had to physically push Mikey out of the way.

Donnie turned to Leo. "Leo…"

"I would like to continue training, Donatello," came the reply.

Donnie got the hint. Leo hardly ever used their full names, unless something was wrong. And right now, Donnie needed to have a long and heart-filled talk with his second oldest brother.

"Come on," Donnie said, leaving the dojo. April and Casey followed, all three allowing one last look at the blue- banded turtle.

"You too, Michelangelo," Leo said, never breaking stride.

"Leo, I can't… Raph didn't mean… I'm sure he…"

Mikey was having trouble getting his sentences together. He was still in shock of what had happened between his two older brothers. This had never happened before.

Leo never said anything more.

Sighing defeatingly, Mikey turned, leaving Leo alone.

Oh, how he wished Master Splinter were here…

TMNT

Raphael stormed over to the couch and lay down on it, turning on the television as he did so. He continued to race through the channels, hitting the remote in anger.

_Stupid Leo_, he thought. _If he would just try not to be so perfect, he wouldn't make me so angry! I hate him! I hate him!_

Donnie, Mikey, April, and Casey all joined him shortly, sitting in the surrounding chairs.

No one said anything for the longest time, and the only things heard were the T.V. and the sounds of air meeting metal from the room next door.

"Raph?"

"What do you want, Donnie?"

"We need to talk…"

"I'm busy."

"Shut off the T.V."

"No."

"Turn it off."

"Nope."

"TURN OFF THE T.V.!"

Everyone turned, shocked, to Mikey. He was on his feet, his nunchakus out and spinning dangerously. His eyes had a fire in them that had never been there before.

"Okay, I'm turning it off…" Raph reached forward cautiously and hit the "POWER" button on the remote. The television went dark.

Mikey's weapons became still. An angry Michelangelo was not to messed with. Unlike most people, whose anger blinds them, when Mikey got angry, his anger gave him more control and made him think more clearly.

Donnie glanced warily at the youngest turtle before addressing Raph again.

"Why'd you say that to Leo?" he asked.

Raph shrugged.

"You don't really hate him, do you?" Mikey piped up, his anger gone, replaced with sadness. His voice was soft.

"Yeah, I do!" Raph cried, anger taking over him once again.

"Why?"

"Because he never listens to me! He never gives me the attention I deserve and he's trying to replace Master Splinter!"

Suddenly, it became clear why Raph had said the things he had said. He didn't hate Leo; he hated the idea of replacing Master Splinter.

"Do you think that Leo hates you?"

The question caught Raph off-guard. "What?"

Donnie repeated the question. "Do you think that Leo hates you?"

"Yes…"

"What makes you say that?"

Raph thought about it. "He's always ordering me to do stuff!" he said. "He never has time for me and whenever I try to talk to him, he just ignores me! He never lets me do what I want to do!"

"Take a look around, Raph," Casey said. "Leo makes sure you have food and shelter."

"He makes sure you're well-rested," April supplied.

"He took care of us when Master Splinter died, and he took care of Master Splinter's remains," Mikey piped up.

"And he's always looking out for best interests," Donnie finished. "Do you think that Leo would do that if he hated you? If he hated us?"

Raph was silent. He knew they were right, he just didn't want to admit it.

"Apologize to Leo," Donnie said. "When you're ready."

With that, he and Mikey stood up. April did so too, followed closely by Casey. But before the two humans left, Casey whispered some advice to his young turtle friend.

"Take some advice," he said quietly, slipping a light jacket over his broad shoulders. "The sooner you two talk, the better life will be."

Raph was left to think as he left with Arpil, and Mikey and Donnie went to bed.

**TMNTTMNTTMNT**

So, I've always wondered what would happen if those words were said, especially to Leo. So this is what happens :)

And I've a;ways thought that Mikey should not be messed with if angry. He seems like he would be dangerous...

Anyways, review please?


	11. Talk

Sorry for the long update. I've been really busy lately, with a new semester, new classes, and no roommate, so I've been trying to figure everything out. I think I've got it now, so I'll update regularly now.

But on the other side, hope you all had great holidays!

Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's so short. The next one will be longer, I promise!

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Talk.

To communicate or exchange ideas, information, etc. by speaking.

Talking is possibly the best way of communication in our society. We can tell people what we want, we can voice our thoughts, and we can express how we truly feel.

But sometimes, talking can be just as negative as it can be positive…

(As you all saw earlier…)

So why is it so easy to talk to the people we don't know very well, and so hard to talk to the ones that we truly love?

Is it because we are afraid of what they will think, and say back?

Or is it that we are afraid of what will happen to us afterwards?

TMNT

Raph paced about his room. It had been only yesterday that he had said those fateful words to Leo, and now that he had time to think about it, he realized that Donnie was right. He didn't hate Leo, he hated the idea that Leo was trying to replace their father.

And right now, he was feeling really bad about yelling those words to Leo…

Raph turned and slammed his fist into the punching bag hanging from his ceiling.

He was angry.

He was angry at Leo, for prompting him to say those words, Donnie, for proving that he was wrong, Mikey, for yelling at him, Casey and April, for… something.

He was angry at himself for being angry.

But most of all, he was angry at Master Splinter for leaving them, for leaving him.

He had always known how to calm Raph. One word, one look, calmed his hot blood, and now he felt that he would never be calm again.

Sighing, he made his way to his door, opening it slowly and quietly. The lair was quiet… It should be at two o'clock in the morning. Faint sounds still echoed from the dojo.

Leo hadn't left since the fight.

Sighing again, Raph made his way down the steps and towards the dojo.

"Raph?"

Raph whipped around at the sound of his name. Mikey walked slowly down the stairs, trailing his pillow behind him and rubbing his eyes sleepily, as a five-year-old might do.

"Mikey?" Raph said. "What are you doing up?"

"I've been up for awhile," Mikey yawned. "I woke up when I heard the small crash down here, and couldn't get back to a full sleep. Heard someone get up and came to see who…"

"Go back to bed, Mikey," Raph sighed.

Mikey yawned. "Why aren't you in bed?"

" 'Cause…"

Mikey's face brightened some. "Are you gonna talk to him?"

Raph listened to the sounds coming from the dojo. "Maybe later," he said, getting cold feet.

The orange-clad turtle's face fell. "Oh…"

"What's going on?"

Mikey and Raph looked at the top of the steps to see Donnie covering his mouth with his hand as he yawned largely.

"Go back to bed, guys," Raph said.

Donnie and Mikey yawned in unison.

"What are you two doing?"

"Raph was gonna apologize to Leo, but then changed his mind," Mikey said drowsily. "I was up from that crash earlier."

"Yeah, I heard that too," Donnie replied, his mind slowly beginning to function properly.

"What crash?" Raph asked.

"The crash from down here earlier…" Mikey said, waking up a bit more.

"I thought it was you…" Donnie said, pointing to Raph.

Raph shook his head and nodded towards Mikey. "I thought it was you."

All three brothers looked at one another and suddenly realized that the sounds from the dojo had stopped. They raced to the room, worry written all over their faces.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I'm not exactly sure where I was going with this chapter, but I remember that it's important...

Or, maybe not now that I'm looking at the rest of them...

Oh, well. Please review and tell me what you think regardless? :)


	12. Fall

Hello, everyone! Hope your week is going good! And I hope that everyone has a great MLK Day! I've been running around all day, and this is the first time I've had to get on my computer, and I though, "Hey, what a better way to end a busy day than by updating my story!" So, here I am! This chapter is longer than the other one, I promise. It's one of my favorites, so I hope you enjoy it as well. :)

Disclaimer: *sigh* The TMNT still have yet to come into my possession...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Fall.

To become less or lower; to become of a lower level, degree, amount, quality, value, number, etc.; to decline.

We all fall.

We all trip and slip and come tumbling down to earth due to that annoying and wonderful thing called gravity. We all land on our faces or our behinds and sometimes we get back up. Sometimes we need help to pick ourselves up.

And, sometimes, we've fallen so hard and so long, that when we have landed, we are so wounded that we just stay where we've fallen, and never move.

It is at these times that we need to rely on the ones we love most to help us. But we humans are so stubborn, we like to think that we are immortal; that we don't need the help of anyone in order to push ourselves up.

Of course, my friends, I am talking both physically and mentally.

We all fall mentally, and when we do, we don't want to get back up.

And so we lay where we have fallen.

TMNT

Raph, Donnie, and Mikey all burst into the dojo at the same time.

Leo was lying on the floor, on his hands and knees, struggling to stand up. His katanas lay on the ground a few inches in front of him. Sweat fell in drops steadily off his beak, hitting the floor with a small "splash".

"Leo!"

The three turtles rushed over to their brother, trying to help him up, but his green skin was so slick with sweat that no one could get a good grip to haul him up.

"Go away," Leo ordered, his breathing heavier than anyone had ever heard it.

He gave another weak push with his muscular arms, but nothing happened. His body didn't lift off the ground, but it didn't come crashing down to it either. It stayed stationary.

"Leo, you need help," Donnie prompted, trying once more to unsuccessfully lift his brother from the ground.

"I don't… need help," the blue banded turtle responded. "I need… you three… to leave… me… alone…"

"Stop being so stubborn, Leo," Mikey said.

"…Not… stubborn…"

"Leo, so help me, if you don't let us help you, I'm gonna murder you right here and now!" Raph growled, his hands slipping off his brother's upper arm.

Leo's eyes flashed, and with one mighty push, he managed to lift himself off the floor. Swiftly, he grabbed his swords and held it at arms length, the tip pointing at his brother in red.

Raph stood frozen, looking at the blade pointing at the space between his eyes. Mikey stood off to the side, eyes wide, while Donnie still half-knelt on the floor, his eyes worried.

"Leo…" Donnie said quietly, trying not to provoke his eldest brother to do the unthinkable.

"_Now_ you care?" Leo spat, brown eyes holding a blazing fire that was never there before. "Now that I'm down on my knees and weak, you suddenly just think you can _care_?"

"Leo, what're you-" Mikey was cut off as the other sword suddenly was pointed between his eyes.

"Shut. Up."

Leo's voice was dangerous. None of them had ever heard that tone come from him before. They had never seen him point a weapon at them either. And Leo never, _ever_, had told Mikey to "shut up". He had never told anyone he cared about to "shut up"; sure, he would tell them to be quiet, or stop talking, but never had he used those words before. And never had he pointed a weapon at his family or friends.

Leo's breathes were still heavy, and his eyes bore into Raph's, who's occasionally shifted to the metal blade that was held between his eyes.

"Leo?"

Leo's gaze shifted to Donnie, who was still half-kneeling on the floor at his elder brother's feet.

"Leo, what're you doing?" Donnie's voice sounded exasperated. He had no idea what Leo would do, and that scared him more than anything.

The blue-banded turtle looked into Donnie's pleading eyes. Everyone held their breath. Cold, muddy, water met soft, comforting light chocolate. Ice met fire.

And the fire melted ice. Leo's eyes quickly became like the dark chocolate that they normally were and his arm holding the sword that pointed at Mikey slowly lowered. Leo's eyes widened and he looked at Raph, who was still standing stock still. He lowered that arm.

Raph visibly relaxed. But his relaxation was short-lived as a blue-handled sword came flying ever-so-close to his ear (or where a teenaged mutant ninja turtle would have ears), and embedded itself in the wall behind him.

He looked at Leo, who was once again collapsed on the ground. Raph slowly walked up to him and kneeled besides him, motioning Donnie and Mikey to stay where they were.

"Go away," Leo muttered, face to the floor.

"Leo… I… I'm sorry," Raph said. Leo looked up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say… I don't really… I didn't mean what I said!"

"Yes, you did," Leo gasped softly. "You wouldn't have said it if you did."

"Leo, you know me," Raph responded. "I always talk before I think."

"But if you said, you must have felt it somewhere in the back of your mind," Leo said.

Raph looked up at Donnie, who slightly nodded.

"Leo, I don't hate you. I just don't like some of the stuff that you do."

Leo's eyes looked up at Raph's, light brown meeting dark chocolate. Leo held his little brother's gaze for a moment before turning his head away sharply. He batted Raph's hands away.

"Go away," Leo repeated, his voice muffled by the crook of his arm. "Leave me alone."

"Leo-"

"I said go away!"

"Since when do I listen to you?"

"JUST GO!" Leo shouted, turning his face to his brother.

Raph could only stare in shock at Leo. Donnie and Mikey were slightly unnerved, Mikey shifting from one foot to the other, a sign that he was uncomfortable.

Raph was horrified…

Because streaming down his big brother's face… were wet, salty, large tears.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I've always pictured Leo pretty much going psycho when he gets under extreme stress and grief. And this is what happens when I'm allowed to write what I think happens...

I'm also very proud of how the little definition of "Fall" came out. I just started writing and it all kinda flowed together. I hope you enjoyed it as well, because I think that it's the best definition that I've ever done...

Well, please review? You know you want too... ;)


	13. Tear

Hope your week was as fantastic as mine! I went to the zoo yesterday! It was wonderful, and I had a blast and took so many pictures!!!!!

So, now is time to update my story! And I also wanted to thank everyone who reviewed my stories. This chapter is probably my all-time favorite for this entire story (Even though it's a little on the short side), and so I wanted to dedicate this chapter to all of you! Especially all those who have stuck with me since the beginning! you guys are wonderful, and this story probably wouldn't have made it this far if you hadn't stuck with it!

So, here you go! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer: Sadly, the TMNT are still not mine. If they were, then Leo would never leave my room...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Tear.

This fluid appearing in or flowing from the eye as the result of emotion, especially grief.

The tear is strange thing. It only shows itself when we humans are extremely happy, beyond the point of containing our happiness any longer. It is wet, slippery, and tastes salty when it rolls into the mouth.

But the tear is more common when the person is sad beyond reason. The emotion becomes too much for the body, and the glands behind the eyes feel the need to empty themselves of their precipitation.

And sometimes, people hold back the tear for so long, that the glands get to the point of bursting and the smallest thing can rip a hole in the thin fabric.

And so, people cry…

… and produce a tear.

TMNT

Raph could only stare in horrified silence as his big brother, the strongest person he knew, emotionally broke down.

Leo's eyes grew wide and he covered his face with a shaking arm, trying to hide his supposed shame from the eyes of his little brothers.

"Please," he sniffed, his breathing still ragged. "Just… just please, leave me alone."

Raph looked, horrified, at Donnie and Mikey. The looks on their faces mirrored the one on his own.

Slowly, Mikey made his way over to his eldest brother. He kneeled down and put his arm around Leo, but the blue-banded turtle just waved him away. But Mikey was persisitant, and settled with just keeping his hand on Leo's shoulder.

"Leo, what is it that's bothering you?" he asked, Leo's body shaking under his firm hand.

Leo shook his head and tried to uplift himself, but it was no use. His body didn't seem to respond to what his brain was telling it.

"Leo, do you remember that time after we saw that scary movie when we were seven?" Mikey asked, his voice soft and gentle. Raph and Donnie looked at each other, not quite sure where this was going.

Leo didn't respond, so Mikey continued. "Well, I wouldn't come out of my room for days, remember? I was so afraid of what might happen when I opened the door. Well, you said that if I just talked about what was bothering me, then everything would be okay."

There was no reply.

"Well, now, if you just tell us what's bothering you, then we can help you."

Leo shook his head, still covering his face.

"Leo, please," Donnie said, joining Mikey.

"Yeah," Raph said. "Let us help you."

"No one can help me," Leo whispered. "I can only continue with my pathetic life alone."

Donnie shared a worried look with his other two brothers. Who was this? Surely this wasn't their confident, sometimes cocky, strong, older brother?

"Leo, your life isn't pathetic," he said, his voice speaking volumes of his worriedness.

"And you're not alone," Mikey added.

"Don't you understand?" Leo suddenly yelled. "I am basically useless! I couldn't stop Master Splinter from dying! I couldn't spare you three the grief of having lost our father! I keep disappointing you guys! And. I. Can't. Get. This. Kata. Right!"

Leo pounded the ground with his fist at the last word. But that was all his body needed to finally collapse.

Luckily, Raph was right there to catch him.

Raph held his brother in his arms as he cried. It was the first time the turtles had ever seen Leo cry. Even when he had been hurt the most, physically, he hadn't cried.

And now they understood. They understood what Leo was feeling. He was feeling guilty for Master Splinter dying, even though he had had no control over that. He was running himself ragged, trying keep this household together, and the three of them weren't helping any. He was trying to be strong for them, and he was, but they finally realized something.

They weren't being strong for Leo.

Leo had had no time to actually grieve over the loss of their father. He was too busy making the rest of the family feel better that he had no time to comfort himself. And so, he was trying to be like Master Splinter. He was trying to be strong for everyone else.

And in the process, he had forgotten all about himself.

It was finally taking its toll on him. After months of this, Leo had finally reached his breaking point.

It was this, dear friends, that really surprised the turtles. They had always thought that Leo couldn't be broken, that he just never had a breaking point.

_Everything has a breaking point_, Donnie though. _Even big brothers…_

He, of all things reptilian, should have known that.

Leo's head was tucked against Raph's shoulder, tears slipping down his cheeks, and his body shaking slightly. The harder he would try to stop crying, the harder he cried. Raph was rubbing small circles in his shell, like Leo usually did when one of them cried. Mikey was rubbing his hand up and down Leo's arm, saying comforting things.

But Leo's face continued to be soaked with tears.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

So? Did you enjoy it as much I did? I hope so! I liked to think that every one doesn't think that Leo has a breaking point, but every one does. It might just take a while to break. I also liked to explore what his brothers would feel like when Leo finally _did_ break down...

Well, please review! :)


	14. Love

Hello, friends! So, I have to make this quick. I have an English paper to write for tomorrow, and the Super Bowl is on, so I figured that I would post this really quick. This chapter is kinda longer than a few, but it's not that long. Hope you enjoy it! Look for other stories coming soon!

Disclaimer: The TMNT and Co. are not mine.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Love.

A profoundly tender, passionate, affection for another person.

Love is such a small, yet powerful word. And we all use it too much in everyday life. We love our car, our books, a movie, or a television program. We enjoy the way it sounds on our tongues, the way it seems to leave a sweet taste in our mouth after we utter the small word.

But it is also said_ not_ enough. We sometimes take for granted the things that we really love. We don't really say that word to the people who mean the most to us often. We always think that there will be another time we can tell him or her that we love them. And so, we put it off.

… Until it's too late, and that person is gone, or just won't hear you.

TMNT

Leo continued to shake with dry sobs in Raph's arms. Mikey had left a few minutes ago, heading to the kitchen to make a pot of tea, to help calm Leo down. Donnie had disappeared, going to Leo's room to grab a blanket off his brother's bed.

And Leo just sat there, letting his little brother hold him in his vulnerable state.

"Shh," Raph said quietly, rubbing his hand on the back of Leo's head, right under his bandana. "Everything's gonna be okay."

"No it… won't," Leo managed to choke out. "I've- I've failed you three."

Raph shook his head and managed to lift Leo's head up, looking into his wet and slightly terrified eyes.

"No, Leo. We've failed you."

Confusion crossed the blue-banded turtle's face, cheeks still wet with tears.

"You… you haven't failed me," he sniffed, eyes searching his brother's for an answer.

"Yeah, we have. You've helped us get through Master Splinter's death, but we haven't helped you. You helped Mikey learn to smile and laugh again. You taught Donnie to focus on the good things in life. And you've helped me realize that not letting anyone in can be the worst possible thing to do after a tragedy."

Leo seemed to be mulling this over in his mind, and, after a few seconds, shook his head.

"No, Raph," he said. "I didn't do any of that. You all knew how to do that already. I just reminded you guys. Plus, maybe if I was a better ninja, then Master Splinter would still be-"

"It wasn't your fault that he died, Leo," Raph interrupted. "He was old. His body just couldn't function anymore. It happens."

Leo lowered his face. "Then why do I still feel responsible?"

"It's your nature," Raph said, chuckling slightly. "You always take the blame for everything, even if it wasn't your fault. I never understand why, but you do."

Leo looked up into his eyes again, his brown orbs filling with tears again. Raph smiled and pushed his head back to his shoulder, wrapping his arms around him again.

"It's cause I'm the oldest," Leo sobbed. "I feel like I need to."

"Leo, not everything is your fault. You're only one turtle. You're not invincible."

A muffled sob.

"But… I want to be."

"No one is invincible. No one ever has been, and no one ever will be."

Leo began to shake with more sobs. Donnie's head poked around the door.

"Raph?" he said. "How's he doing?"

Raph looked down at the shaking form in his arms. "Better, I guess."

Donnie nodded and entered the dojo. He walked over to Leo and Raph and put his hand on Leo's shoulder.

"Leo, you want to go to the living room where it's more comfortable?" he asked gently.

Leo didn't respond. Raph looked down, then up at Donnie and nodded.

"Leo, we're gonna help ya' to the living room, kay?"

Once again, there was no response.

Carefully, Raph got to his feet, gently bringing his older brother with him. He began to move to the door, but Leo didn't do anything. He just clung to Raph, barely staying on his two feet. After one more try, Raph gave up and picked him up, one arm under his knees and the other under his neck. Leo draped his arms around Raph's neck, hugging him closer.

Donnie moved to help, but Raph shook his head.

_Why is he so light?_ He thought, gently carrying him to the couch.

It was true. Raph was broader, with more muscle. Donnie was fit, and Mikey was just plain skinny, despite his vacuum-like mouth. But Leo had always been leaner. His muscles weren't as big as Raph's, but they were more toned; all those hours for practicing in the dojo.

But still, no one should be as light as he was now; even Mikey weighed more, and Mikey was a skinny thing.

Shaking off the feeling and filing the thought away for another time, Raph carefully laid his older brother on the couch. Leo was asleep before his limp body hit the cushions. Raph untangled his arms from around his neck and, very lovingly, draped a blanket over his body.

Raph looked up to see Donnie gazing at him. Mikey came striding out of the kitchen, a steaming mug in his green hands.

"Leo, I found your fav-"

He stopped mid stride when he saw Leo on the couch. He turned to his brothers.

"He asleep?"

They nodded.

Mikey sighed. "What am I supposed to do with this tea now?"

Raph chuckled slightly, but Donnie remained serious. He turned to Raph.

"Did Leo seem a bit light to you when you carried him over here?"

Raph nodded, his face turning to a frown. "Why do you think?"

Donnie motioned for them to follow and he headed upstairs, toward Leo's room. Carefully, he opened the door and stepped in. Raph and Mikey stopped at the doorway.

Leo's room was off limits. No one, not even Master Splinter, ever dared to enter his room. The only time they were allowed in was when Leo _invited_ them in.

And he hadn't invited them.

Donnie turned and saw their hesitation. He rolled his eyes.

"Guys, I'm sure Leo won't mind just this once."

Raph and Mikey looked at one another, skeptical, but entered all the same.

Leo's room was filled with mugs. They were scattered everywhere; on the floor, on the bed, on the nightstand, on the small desk in the corner, on the stand he used to hold his swords.

Donnie turned to his brothers. "I looked at all of them when I got the blanket," he said. "Most of them are empty, but they had rings around the top, which means that the tea that was in there evaporated without being drunk,. The ones that aren't empty are the same way, and they have just a little tea at the bottom. I found some plates with really moldy food; they've been up here for a few weeks."

"So… that means…" Mikey said.

"That Leo hasn't been eating…" Raph finished.

Donnie nodded. "And he hasn't been sleeping either. His bed had a fine layer of dust on when I grabbed the blanket. Plus, he's been training for weeks on end."

"He's probably exhausted!" Mikey cried, eyes wandering around the room.

"And we really haven't been helping," Raph said, face grim.

Once again, Donnie nodded his head. "He's physically, emotionally, and mentally weak. No wonder he fell apart."

"Maybe we should try to help him more, and, you know, lay off him a bit," Mikey proposed.

Raph nodded. "That's a good idea."

Donnie smiled. "Okay. So, Mikey. I want you to help me clean up Leo's room. Raph, can you go watch him, make sure he's okay while he's sleeping? I don't think he'll wake up any time soon, but still. I want to be sure…"

Raph swiftly left the room, smiling slightly at Mikey's complaints of "But why do I have to help clean up?"

Raph went back to the living room and grabbed a chair, seating himself by Leo's head.

It was then that he finally got a good look at his brother.

Leo was the same age as the rest of them, but he acted so mature beyond his years. He always took the responsibilities that no one wanted, and the ones that he didn't think anyone else should have.

He was dedicated, loving, strict, and even fun to be around. Sometimes he could be funnier than Mikey, which was really saying something.

"I'm sorry, bro," Raph said, watching Leo's chest rise and fall slowly. "I didn't mean what I said. I know we fight a lot and everything, but… I don't hate you. I don't like what you do, but that doesn't mean I don't like you. You're my big brother; I look up to you. And sometimes I get angry when you don't live up to the expectations that I want you to."

Leo's breath was slow and steady.

"Leo, you're my hero. And… I love you."

A single, hot tear fell from Raph's eye and landed on his knee. Quickly, he wiped it away, ashamed that he was crying. A green hand suddenly rested gently where the tear had landed. Raph looked up.

Leo was looking at him with those tired, brown eyes of his. There was understanding in them, something he had always been good at.

"I love you too," he managed to get out, tiredly.

Raph smiled and took Leo's hand in his own. They looked into one another's eyes, and at that moment, both knew everything would be okay. They both said it at the same time.

"I love you, bro."

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I don't think that this is my best chapter, but it works into the story so nicely, I _had_ to put it in. And I've always loved the idea that Leo is so grief-stricken that he doesn't eat and runs himself ragged, therefore making his condition so much worse.

Tell me what you think! Please? *puppy dog eyes*


	15. Fear

Hello, all! Thanks for the wonderful reviews! You guys really make me happy when you review :)

So, here's the next chapter! The Grammy's are on, so I'm updating this during a commercial. Hope all the people and groups I like win!

Anyways, this chapter is probably one of my favorites, though I think that it's a little... out of place...

Disclaimer: The TMNT are still not mine... Leo on the other hand is still fair game to play with!

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Fear.

A distressing emotion aroused by impeding danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the treat is real or imagined.

We all have fear. Fear is something that we cannot explain. It has been with us for our entire lives. Whether that fear be small or large, we have always and will always have it.

Some of us fear snakes. Others fear the dark. Some fear small spaces. Some have a fear of clowns. Whatever our fear is, there are others out there who fear the same things. But we always have had the presence of fear in our lives.

Some people even fear fear. They are the ones who try to mask their fear, try to deny that they fear anything. They are the ones who push their fear down and try to help others over come their fears, but they never work on overcoming their own fear.

And so, at one point, they allow their fear to overcome them. It is then that they realize that they don't truly fear fear. They fear a lot of little things that keep them going, that allow them to live.

Some don't do anything at that point, while others try to fight it. The strong ones face it, accept it, and try to overcome it.

Those, my friends, are the strong ones.

For the one who faces his fear, truly faces himself.

TMNT

Raph and Mikey waited outside of the door of Donnie's lab. Mikey was sitting down, flipping through one of his comic books, and Raph had to content himself with pacing.

_What was taking them so long?!_

It had been three days since Leo had collapsed. In that time, he had done nothing but sleep. After him and Raph had made up, he had promptly drifted back to sleep, and hadn't woken up until this afternoon.

As soon as young Donatello had learned of this, he had carted Leo off to his lab, where he was going to examine him, both physically and psychologically.

That had been nearly two hours ago. Honestly! How long did it take to look over the guy and ask him a few questions?

But Raph knew the real reason, even if he was a bit impatient.

Leo was sick. He was depressed, and Raph was worried that he might do something and hurt himself. Donnie obviously thought the same thing, or else he wouldn't be taking this long.

The last few days, the three younger brothers had had multiple conversations regarding the eldest. They all agreed to help him out more, and to try to cooperate more. If that didn't work, then they were going to have to take some drastic measures.

Donnie's purple- banded head suddenly appeared out of the door. He smiled tiredly. Raph and Mikey instantly looked at him.

"Well, as soon as he eats more, he should be okay," Donnie informed them. "His stomach has shrunk in the past months from lack of food, but if we work with him, it will gradually begin to enlarge."

Raph and Mikey looked at Donnie, expecting more, but the intelligent turtle just popped his head back in the lab. After a little scuffling, he reappeared, a large pile of papers in his hands. He looked at his brothers.

"Leo's sleeping," he informed them. "I had to give him some medications, so that his immune system got back on track. Unfortunately, it knocks you out, so he's sleeping again."

When Raph and Donnie didn't take their gazes away from the purple-clad brother, Donnie became confused.

And a confused Donnie was very rare, and not-to-be-messed with Donnie.

"What about his mental state?!" Raph practically shouted.

Once again, Donnie was confused. "Huh?"

"How depressed is he?" Mikey asked, a look of fear on his face.

Realization suddenly hit Don. "He's not depressed, guys," he said, then grinned at their befuddled looks.

"But… he definitely seems to… huh?!" Mikey and Raph said at exactly the same time.

Donnie smiled. "At first, I thought the same too, but I did run some tests, just to make sure. All the results came back negative."

"So… that means…"

"Leo's blaming himself, in every Leonardo fashion."

"So… he thinks that Master Splinter dying is his fault?" Mikey inquired.

Donnie nodded.

"Don… do you thinks that's healthy?" Raph asked, worry etched in his face.

The younger turtle looked thoughtful. "I think that as long we as let him know that it isn't, and that he can come to any of us at any time, it shouldn't be a big deal."

Raph nodded.

"When will he be awake?" Mikey asked, anxious to see his eldest brother.

Donnie looked at the clock in the kitchen. "I'd give him at least three hours. After that, he should be fine."

TMNT

True to the genius tutle's word, at nine o'clock that night, Leo staggered sleepily from the lab. The other three turtles were sitting in the living room, watching television when he sank down into his favorite chair.

"Morning, sleepy head," Mikey said, smiling at the tired turtle.

"Hey, guys," Leo said, looking as if he was stifling a yawn. He looked at Donnie, who was sitting on the couch next to the chair. "What time is it?"

"About nine," he replied.

Leo looked a little shocked, but he quickly covered it up. Only Raph noticed it. "Oh," he said softly, looking at Mikey, who was lying on his plastron on the floor, his elbows on the floor and his hands propping his head up.

"How are you feeling?" Donnie asked, watching Leo a little more closely. Leo seemed a bit out of place. Like he didn't know what to say. Which was _very_ un-Leo like.

"I'm okay," he said, not looking his brothers in the eyes.

Raph and Donnie exchanged a quick, worried glance. Mikey rolled over onto his shell, yawned, and looked at Leo.

"You know, there's one thing we haven't done yet…" he said seriously, looking at his older brothers.

All three of them looked back, confused.

"I know that you are gonna say its too early, and that it might not be a good idea, especially with what just happened to Leo-"

Leo suddenly became very stiff.

"- but it's something that we need to do…"

"Which would be what?" Raph growled, looking at Leo out of the corner of his eye.

Mikey was very serious. "We need to clean out Splinter's room…"

Donnie didn't say anything, but looked at Mikey with a shocked expression. Raph's mouth was hanging open slightly, and Leo… poor, Leo, looked as if he was going to lose it again.

Don was the first to break the silence. "Mikey… I'm not sure-"

Mikey interrupted him. "I know. But I've been thinking about it, and I think it's the right thing to do."

Raph spoke up next. "I think he's right."

Mikey had a mixture of happiness and shock on his face. It was not often that Raphael agreed with him.

"Now that I think about it…" Donnie said slowly.

Three heads turned to Leo. He looked… well, he didn't look good, but he'd looked worse than that. He kept his eyes downward as he slowly nodded. Raph was worried. Usually he spoke up about serious stuff, and never outright agreed without giving them a reason behind it.

"Should we do it now?" Donnie asked.

Mikey looked thoughtful. "I think we can do tomorrow. It's late-"

"Let's do it now," Raph said. "The sooner we do it, the sooner we get it done."

Mikey nodded, and stood up. "Alright then. Let's get going."

Everyone followed his lead. Leo was the last to get up. He followed behind Raphael, bringing up the rear. Mikey was the first to reach their Sensei's room, which hid behind a paper sliding door. It was there that he stopped, one foot forward, seemingly unable to go forward. Raph went in front of him, gently putting his hand on his youngest brother's shoulder as he passed. He carefully opened the door and slowly entered.

Their father's room was the same it had been since that day. Nothing was out of place, and there was a fine amount of dust covering everything. Mikey followed Raph, Donnie close on his heels, but Leo just stood in the doorway, his eyes a little wide and looking around the room.

"Where should we start?" Raph asked, looking to Donnie.

The younger turtle quickly scanned the room, and the others could see the wheels trning rapidly in his head. "I think we should start in one corner, and then move around the room in a clockwise fashion. Put everything we want to keep in the middle, and everything we think we should throw out in one pile, and stuff we could give away in another."

Mikey nodded, his face a little sad. Raph looked slightly sick, but Leo still stayed where he was. Donnie turned to his other brothers and said, "If you guys see something that you want to keep for yourselves, just shout it out. If more than one of us wants it, then the others will decide."

Mikey and Raph nodded, and all three of them crossed over to the far right hand corner, where a table that was filled with candles stood. Mikey was the first to reach out and grab one.

"Hey, Leo," he said, turning around. "You want the candles?"

The other two turtles turned also to look at Leo.

"Leo?" Donnie asked, worry on his face.

Leo was still standing in the door. His face looked… well, it looked scared. Something that worried the other three deeply. They had never seen their older brother scared before. Well, not like this, at least.

"Leo, you feeling okay?" Raph asked, taking a step forward, ready to catch him in case he fainted (which he looked very close to doing…)

"I'm… I'm okay…" he whispered, finally coming into the room. He walked over to Mikey and took the candle with a shaking hand.

He looked at it, and then gently set it back on the table. "I'll take all the candles, unless you guys want them…"

"That's okay," Donnie said, putting a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "You can have 'em."

Leo nodded and turned to the wall nest to the table. "What about these?..."

An hour later, the boys were almost done. There were multiple piles everywhere. For the life of him, Raph couldn't figure out which one was which. He only knew his pile, which consisted of the small weights that his father had owed, a few martial arts books, and a few other things here and there.

It had been a very difficult process. More than once, Mikey broke down, Donnie had to leave for a few minutes, and even he had gotten a little watery eyed. Leo, well, Leo didn't say much, and his pile was much smaller than any of his brother's. He had only wanted the mat, the candles, a book, and a picture. It was very, very small…

Donnie and Mikey were simply doing a little inventory around the room, and Raph was watching Leo. He simply sat looking at the picture had taken.

"Hey, uh, Leo?" Mikey suddenly said. All heads, Leo's included, turned to look at Mikey. "I, uh, think this is for you…" He held out a small, tea colored envelope. On the front, very visible even for Raph, and very clearly, there was Leonardo's name, written in their father's handwriting.

Leo slowly got up and made his way over to where Mikey was, and, with a shakey hand again, took it from him.

His brother's watched silently as he opened it, read through it quickly, and got a look f pure fear on his face.

"Leo, what's wrong?!" Mikey asked.

"I… Master Splinter… I… can't…" Leo said. He was visibly shaking now.

"Leo?"

"I'm not ready for this!"

"What are you talking about, Leo?" Raph asked, getting more worried.

Leo's response was to thrust the letter at Raph, while Mikey went over and tried to calm him down.

Raph read the letter, which was old, and filled with his father's penmanship.

_Leonardo,_

_If you are reading this, then the time for me has come to leave you and your brother's forever. You must be strong, my son, and I know that you will be, which is why I have given you the title of "Leader". Help your brother's through this difficult time, and allow them to help you sa well. You must remain a family, for if you don't, then you will never survive._

_Which brings me to my next order of business. I have trained you well, Leonardo. We have often discussed what would happen when my hour came. You are strong enough to lead your brothers, both in combat- as you have shown me time and time again- and as a brother, as head of the house. You will now be their guidance, their light, and the one they look upon for wisdom._

_You will do fine, Leonardo. It is what I have been training you for for years. You are ready. I would not have gone if I didn't believe it._

_I love you, my son,_

_Master Splinter_

Raph looked up at Leo. He was still shaking, despite Mikey's best efforts to stop it. Donnie finished as well.

"Leo, what's wrong?" Mikey asked. He had read the letter over his brothers' shoulders. "It's not like Master Splinter didn't prepare you for this."

"Not the point…" Leo whispered. "I'm not emotionally ready for this…"

"Sure ya' are, Leo," Raph said. "Master Splinter said so himself. Many times, too."

Leo furiously shook his head. "I'm only seventeen!" he exclaimed. "I can't take care of a family all by myself!"

Raph understood now. And he sympathized with him as well. Leo was the same age as the rest of them. He couldn't imagine what it would be like have burden suddenly thrust upon his shoulders.

Leo looked like he was closed to tears again. Raph went over and once again put his arms around his brother. "You won't have to take care of a family all by yourself," he said.

Leo pulled away to look at him, confusion written all over his face. "But who else is gonna take care of you guys?"

"Leo, we're not babies," Don said, coming over as well.

"Right!" Mikey agreed, nodding his head vigorously. "We're almost adults!"

"You might have to take care of some stuff, but we'll be right there to help you," Raph explained. "You won't be taking care of us. We'll be taking care of each other."

Leo nodded and looked at his brothers. "But… I'm still scared…"

Raph nodded. "It's okay to be scared," he said. "If you weren't, then something just isn't right."

Leo nodded again. "Okay," he said, looking a little more relieved. "We'll take care of each other."

Raph hugged his brother again. "That's right, bro."

The four brothers shared another brief hug before going back to the task at hand. This time, though, they all felt a bit better, and Leo was looking a little better about the whole thing.

That wasn't to say it wasn't hard. They just knew that if things got bad enough, that they all had each other to lean on.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I think that the turtles were a little OC... and there was a little too much angst/ drama, even for me, but I wanted to show that Leo was still afraid, even after all that has happened since his break down. I don't think it's my best chapter, but it's still one of my favorites :)

Well, please review! It makes me happy! Happy author= new chapter ;)


	16. Time

Hey, guys. How are ya'? Hopefully doing well. Unfortunately, my muses have not let me rest, and I've been working on all of my stories non-stop forever. Plus, the discovery of a new favorite band has given me LOTS of new inspiration as well! They only problem? School work :P But tonight I have nothing! So I'll be working on my stories and hopefully have a bunch posted soon!

In the meantime, here's the next chapter! After this, there's one more, and then this story is done! Can you believe it?!

Anyways, here ya go! And thanks for all the reviews! They make me happy! :D

Disclaimer: The TMNT are still not mine. I'm just allowed to play around with them :)

P.S. This chapter has an insane amount of brotherly fluff...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Time.

The system of those sequential relations that any event has to any other, as past, present, or future; indefinite and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another.

Time is a strange and fickle thing. It seems to go by so fast, yet at the same time, it doesn't go by fast enough. It can seem an eternity for something to happen, yet sometimes, the thing you've been waiting for has arrived and gone in the blink of an eye.

And in other instances, time can disappear altogether. It can seem to disappear after a tragedy, leaving it seem as if it were only yesterday that the horrible events took place.

When that happens, it can hurt the person just as much as it did that fateful day.

TMNT

Don, Mikey, Raph, and Leo were running across the rooftops of New York City. It had been a few months since they had cleaned out Master Splinter's room. It was a chilly autumn night, close to winter. It was the first time that they had been topside since he… passed. And Raph wasn't going to lie; they needed it.

They were leaping and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Leo in the front, Raph following on his heals. Mikey was in the middle, with Don bringing up the rear. After a few hours, they all came to halt, breathing heavily.

"That was awesome!" Mikey exclaimed.

"I didn't realize how much I missed fresh air," Don agreed.

Raph nodded and looked at his elder brother. He was in the exact same position as the night that it had... happened. Raph cautiously walked over to stand next to him.

"It's good to be back up here, huh?" Leo asked, looking at Raph as the red-banded turtle sat on the edge of the roof.

He nodded.

The two were silent for a moment, listening to the sounds of the city below them, and the quiet murmuring of their younger brothers behind them.

"What're we supposed to do now?" Leo asked quietly.

"Just keep going," Raph said, just as quiet. He met his brother's eyes. They were wide, seeming to stare into Raph's soul. He kept going. "Just because our father died doesn't mean that we have to stop living. Time doesn't slow down, no matter what we want it to do. People die everyday; shell, we sometimes _kill_ people everyday, and it's never been a problem before. We just happen to be on the other side of the glass this time."

Leo stared at him. Raph stared back.

"That was profound, Raph, even for you," Leo said, smirking.

"I can be profound when I want to," Raph replied, sticking his tongue out. "It just doesn't happen that often..."

Leo smiled softly. Raph felt pride building inside him. He hadn't seen Leo smile at all in a long time, and it was nice to see that he was doing it again. It meant that he was doing much, much better.

"Ahhh!"

Leo and Raph turned around sharply too see Mikey running in circles around the rooftop, trying to get out of range of Don's bo. Don was currently chasing the younger turtle, whacking him on the head with the weapon every time he got in range.

"Get back here, you little shell-for-brains!" Don said, taking a swipe and missing Mikey's head.

"Raph! Help!" Mikey cried. He yelped as the weapon came ever so close to hitting him again.

Raph chuckled and walked over, while Leo, smiling, turned back to the city below them. "What'd ya' do this time, Mike?"

"He was being an idiot, and deserved it!" Don exclaimed. He swung and landed a blow right on the top of his brother's head.

"Was not!"

"Were too!"

This went on for quite a while, until Raph got bored and proceded to take the weapon from Don, which ended up on them two wrestling, which then turned into the three of them wrestling and tickling Mikey.

They stopped, breathing heavily and smiling. Mikey looked up to see that Leo hadn't moved.

"Guys..." he said, gaining the attention of his other two brothers. "I think we need to help Leo."

Don looked at him, eye ridge raised. "What'd you mean, Mikey?"

"Well, I think that we need to get Leo to loosen up a little. He seems to tense, and I think that if we help him relax, he'll feel better," Mikey explained.

Raph and Don looked at each other, then back to their younger brother.

"That's not a bad idea, Mikey," Raph said thoughtfully.

Mikey grinned. "Come on!"

The three turtles turned to their eldest brother and slowly approached him.

Leo, hearing silence and feeling someone approach him, turned his head from the view of the city and looked behind him. He saw his brothers coming slowly towards him, smirks and evil glints in their eyes. His eyes narrowed.

"What're you doing?" he asked, standing up straight.

With a signaling war cry from Mikey, the three ran toward Leo, smiling evilly. Leo's eyes went wide and he jumped upwards, avoiding them. But he was no match for Mikey, who was the quickest and, in a flash, had turned around and reached out, grabbing Leo's ankle. He skillfully pulled the larger turtle down to the roof of the building, where he and Don quickly climbed atop of him, holding him down. Leo squirmed with all his might, but he was no match when his younger brothers were this organized. Raph came maliciously towards him, smirking.

"Guys!" Leo yelled. "What the shell are you doing?! Get off me!"

Raph laughed. "No way, Leo! You're done for!"

Leo's eyes went wide as Raph came closer.. "Raph, no! Don't you dare! Get away from me!"

Raph lunged forward, going for Leo's side.

"Raph... don't... I swear... I'm gonna... Raphael!" Leo was able to breath out a few other threats as Raph, along with a little help from Don and Mikey, continued to tickle the living snot out of him.

Finally, Leo was able to wiggle free and stood, panting and smiling. His brothers exchanged worried glances, then looked back to Leo.

"You guys are in trouble now..." Leo threatened, a magical glint in his eyes.

Don, Mikey, and Raph exchanged another glance, then, with lightening speed, took off running, Leo right on their heels.

"You'll never take us alive!" Mikey shouted over his shoulder at their pursuing turtle.

"Come on, Leo!" Don taunted. "Can't you go any faster?!"

"Let's go, slow poke!" Raph added. "Even I'm going faster than you!"

"You three had better be glad I don't catch you!" Leo yelled. "Or you're going to be sorry!"

The four turtles ran across almost all of New York City that night. But Raph was happy, because for the first time in a long time, Leo seemed completely relaxed.

The sun rose to the laughter of the four brothers, and it couldn't be happier. Time was still moving forward. It just happened to be moving forward a little but easier...

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

I told you it had a lot of fluff. Oh, and I'm not really sure what the purpose was of this chapter, except for the beginning part with Leo and Raph... It DID have a better purpose, but it unfortunately got deleted, and by the time I realized it, I couldn't recover the file and forgot the real reason for it.

Anyways, review please? Feed my still hungry muses...


	17. Done

Sorry for the late update everyone. I couldn't get on for the longest time, what between school and tests and midterms and all this other stuff. Plus, I was on call this weekend and apparently all the animals decided to give birth :P

Anyways, here's the nest chapter! The last chapter... I wanted to thank all of you who have reviewed and stuck with me this entire time! You guys rock! This story wouldn't have gotten this far without you!!!! Enjoy! I have another story I'm working on now as well. Look for it soon... :)

Disclaimer: I own not. :(

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Done.

Completed; finished; through.

We are all done at some point in our lives. Whether it be a simple project, to being done with a relationship. We all must finish what we start, no matter what the cost.

And so we must finish with our lives as well.

We start out small, and we grow. But at one point, whether it be soon, late, or somewhere in between, we must be done with ourselves. There is no fighting it; it is just the way things are.

Everything must end…

TMNT

One year later…

Leonardo stood on the top of a roof, overlooking the bright city around him. The air around him was chilly; it was the beginning of autumn. He shivered slightly, the cold effecting his cold blooded system, as a soft wind blew past him.

It had been a year since Master Splinter's death. It had been a tough year, but they had made it. It had been a rough first couple of months, but it got a little easier each day.

Perhaps the best thing that happened this year was than he and Raph were closer than they had ever been. After they had cleaning out their father's room that one night, Raph had come in to check on Leo when Don and Mikey had gone to bed.

"_Hey, Leo?"_

_Leo looked up from where his face was buried in his pillow. "Yeah?"_

_Raph looked a bit uncomfortable standing in the doorway._

"_You know, if you ever need anything… or… just someone to talk to… or just sit with… you can… I mean I… What I'm trying to say is… my door's always open…"_

_Leo smiled. "Same here, Raph. And… thanks. For everything."_

_Raph nodded. "So… I was wondering… could I… I mean, only if it's okay…"_

_Leo chuckled a bit, making Raph feel better. It had been a long time since Leo had laughed. "Come on, you big lug," he said, lifting his blanket up and moving over to make room for the other turtle in his bed._

_Raph smiled. "Thanks."_

"_Mmhmm," Leo grunted, putting his arm around Raph's shoulder._

_The next morning, all four brothers were crammed into Leo's bed. A few nights later, the same thing happened again. And Leo and Raph would talk to each other if either f them felt sorrow, or if they just needed a friend. And every couple nights Don would come down to get Mikey a glass of water and he would see the two older turtles snuggled up on the couch after spending half the night talking and, occasionally, crying._

Leo thought back to the past year some more. His and Raph's fights had become less and less, and now they were rare at all. If they did have an argument, they were quick to resolve it, and neither one ended up leaving the lair after a spat, like they had in the past.

All four brothers had gotten closer too, not just Leo and Raph. Mikey had teamed up with Leo a few times to prank the family, and Don and Raph would go and plan some evil plan to get back at them. Don and Mikey were still as close as before, but Raph and Mikey had some more understanding towards each other. Mikey didn't tease Raph the way he had before, and Raph had laid off slapping Mikey so much. Don and Leo would sometimes spend hours in his lab, talking and discussing things of no relative importance.

Leo sighed as he thought of how his master would be proud of him. He still had his responsibilities as leader and big brother, but leading the family was split between the four brothers. Leo felt a lot better, knowing that he wasn't alone in this.

Their eighteenth birthday and Christmas had been the hardest. The four of them had celebrated it, it just wasn't the same. Both times, the brothers had fallen asleep in the living room, after having a small crying sessions, and then awaking to realize it wasn't a dream.

But they still had each other.

Leo smiled at the thought. They had survived a lot. They could do this.

He didn't turn around as he felt a presence behind him, recognizing it as his immediate younger brother. Raph came up and stood next to him. Neither spoke for a while.

"You okay?" Raph asked quietly.

Leo nodded. "You?"

Raph nodded. "Mike was asleep when I left. Don was still awake, but I'll bet he's asleep when we get back."

Leo turned to Raph. "You think it'll get easier from here on out?"

Raph looked him in the eye. "I don't think it'll ever be easy," he said. "But it sure won't be as hard."

Leo smiled sadly.

"Come on," Raph said, clapping a hand on Leo's shoulder. "You've been out here all night. You're cold, and I think we need to get back in case Mikey wakes up…"

"Give me another minute?" Leo responded.

Raph nodded. "I'll wait in the sewer." And with that, he disappeared down the fire escape.

Leo turned his eyes back to the city, where the cars still ran and the people still walked on the streets, and the lights would never be extinguished.

"I miss you, father," he whispered. "We all do. But I think we'll be okay. We have each other…"

The wind blew gently, stealing his words and carrying them away into the night as Leo turned to head home.

TMNT

In the heavens above, Master Splinter smiled as he watched his sons start the walk back to their home, Raphael supporting Leonardo as the elder began to cry silently.

Yes, he missed them. But he had watched them this past year. Watched as Leonardo took blame that wasn't his, and watched as his family helped him up again. He watched as the four brothers supported themselves, and help each other along.

It had been a very long year indeed. But they had made it.

"I miss you too, my sons," he said. "But you will be fine. I have raised you well, and it is as you said. You have each other."

Down below on earth, before Leonardo slipped into dreamland with his brothers surrounding him on all sides, he glanced up into the heavens, and smiled. He knew his father was up there, watching over them.

Looking down upon them.

And the last thought Leo had before falling asleep was that the world was full of small, seemingly insignificant things, yet those things made all the difference.

All you had to do was look.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

So, what did you think? I suck at endings, and didn't really know how to end it. So, this is the outcome. At one point, there was going to be another chapter after this one, but I decided against it. It didn't flow well the story.

Well, review, please?! I would love to know what you think!!!!


End file.
